The Rose That Was Always Red: A Pokemon Yellow Nuzlocke
by Plegian Gengar
Summary: A young, unqualified boy begins his Pokemon journey, eager to defeat his rival, a young prodigy named Blue Oak. Along the way he'll face the pain and horror that he did not anticipate in his idolized fantasy of what he imagined a Pokemon journey would be. It's in his adversity, however, that Red learns what being a Pokemon Trainer really means.
1. The Ash of the Earth

I've always been deeply into the concept of the Nuzlocke challenge and the stories and comics that followed. This is a story that will attempt to bring back some of the magic that I felt when I read the old comics back in the day, with a blend of comedy, emotional moments, and the overall vulnerability and thrill of a runthrough. I hope you all enjoy!

Rules

· If a Pokemon faints, it must be released and is considered dead in the story.

· The first Pokemon encountered in each Route are the only Pokemon that can be caught (Dupe clause is in effect.)  
· All Pokemon must have Nicknames, so I'll be emotionally attached.

Without further ado, let us begin our Pokemon journey together!

**Book 1: Chrysanthemum **

* * *

"This is a bittersweet day for me, students," the Pokémon Professor said with a chuckle. "Ever since that infernal phone app was released, less and less students take my course. There are so few of you, but the excited look on each of your young faces help me forget that it'll still be a decade before I can retire."

There were, in fact, only six students who even attended his class. Two girls and four boys, but since only two of the boys are actually relevant to the story, we'll pretend that the other two don't exist, and there are only four students.

"I don't know why you even let them get their hopes up, Gramps," Blue Oak said from his spot at the back of the class, leaning back in his chair and grinning. "We all know I'm the best by far."

Oak sighed, looking over the list. His grandson, while obnoxious sometimes, did have a point. "If only you learned humility instead of just glorified dog fighting. But yes, you're correct. Blue won the trainer license by a landslide. Granted, Green did tie with him- "

"Ha!" The brunette sitting next to Blue said, punching him in the shoulder. "Take that, you pompous —"

"However, considering women from Pallet are currently prohibited from becoming Pokémon trainers, I'm afraid she's disqualified," Oak said, throwing the girl an apologetic look. "We're not the most forward-thinking town."

Blue cackled. "Ha, my gender's better than yours!" Green responded by flipping him out of his chair. Blue yelped as he crashed to the floor.

"So, since he passed my classes with flying colors, Blue will be the first Pallet trainer of his generation."

A kid wearing a red jacket and hat, who had been glaring at Oak's grandson throughout the entire exchange, climbed on top of his desk and pointed an accusing finger at the professor. "That's bullshit! I smell bias!"

"Ash, please, this isn't the time to use that." Oak groaned at the sight of the kid's dirty shoes muddying up the desk. "We do not stand on furniture. This is the third time this week."

Ash blushed but didn't jump down from his desk. "Professor! I told you; call me Red! Ash is the chump from the TV show who doesn't know how to evolve his starters!"

"Two weeks ago, you were obsessed with being called Ash," Oak said, resisting the urge to tear out his hair. "I don't know why I even bother indulging you."

"To be fair, this is better than the Guardians of the Galaxy phase," Green said, shrugging.

"Nobody ever called me Star-Lord," Red mumbled. "Anyway, it doesn't matter, because Red was super cool and edgy and caught all one hundred and fifty Pokemon! I take that name because I will succeed his legacy."

"Red was also silent," Oak said, frustrated. "Something I wish you'd be while we're in the middle of class."

"I won't be silent until I expose you for the biased man you are!" Red said. "You only chose Blue because he's your grandson. I have the real skills!"

"Your grade point average is at the bottom of the class!" Oak snapped, finally losing his cool, but Blue gave a sideways grin to the defiant Red, having finally managed to pull himself back into his seat.

"Never mind that, Gramps, I accept his challenge," Blue said running his hand through his spiky hair. "I say we settle this with Pokémon battle. The winner will be declared the champion of Pallet Town."

"More like Misogyny Town," Green mumbled to the only the other girl, Yellow, who gave her a sympathetic wince at her plight.

"Alright!" Red said, happy that Blue had taken his bait. "Let's do it that way, please, Professor? Please, please, please, please—"

"Dear Arceus, if it gets you to _shut up_!" Oak snarled, slamming his fist on his desk. "_Fine_! Fine. We'll head to the stadium outside the building. Then Blue can win, and this day will finally be behind us."

"You're the salt of the earth, Red," Green said, rolling her eyes. "Or wait, heh, should I say 'ash' of the earth?"

"Stop calling me Ash!"

* * *

"Okay," Oak said, as the two trainers stood at opposite sides of a small Pokémon battlefield on the school's lawn. "This will be a one on one fight, refereed by me. You each will use one of my Pokémon to battle, and the fight will conclude when one Pokemon either falls unconscious or is recalled. Don't try anything dangerous."

Some of the students came to witness the battle, mostly jazzed to see Blue kick someone's ass again. Still, Red looked so confident and determined that it was easy to imagine he had a chance. At least the people who hadn't met Red, anyway, because it really was just mindless bluster.

"Tell you what, Red old pal," Blue said, smirking as he eyed Red toss his Poké Ball up and down in an intimidating rhythm. "If you even land a hit on my 'mon, I'll forfeit the trainer license to you."

"You'll eat those words, Oak," Red growled. "While the only thing I'll be tasting is victory."

"Weak retort."

"Screw you, it sounded better in my head!" Red shouted, before throwing his Poké Ball. "Enough talk!"

"I concur," Blue said, tossing his own ball lazily. The Pokémon Red had summoned was a purple, rhino like Pokemon, while Blue's was a large, round, grinning ghost.

"Oh, like the opening," Blue said, watching the Nidorino and Gengar face off. "Nice reference."

"Hey, that's not fair!" Red shouted, pointing at his Nidorino. "I get a crappy middle evolution and you get a freaking Gengar? That's not balanced at all!"

The Nidorino's eyes bugged out at the insult, and he turned around to charge Red, who shrieked and sprinted away from the rampaging rhino as fast as he could. Oak cringed at the display, blowing his whistle.

"Red, we do not call our trusted partners crappy middle evolutions. I've seen enough; I declare Blue and Gengar the winners!"

"Well, naturally," Blue said, as the Gengar cackled mockingly at the still screaming Red. "The day that kid is allowed to be a Pokemon trainer is the day I eat my running shoes."

"The ceremony will start in a few minutes," Oak said, looking at his watch after recalling his Pokemon. "Fortunately, Red's daily outburst was a bit less time consuming than usual. Let's get you ready."

* * *

"How are you doing?" Yellow asked, patting a miserable Red on the back. She was the only one who could tolerate the hyperactive kid for long stretches at a time. They watched Blue being presented with his trainer card, and his very first Pokemon, an Eevee.

"I don't care," Red whimpered, trying fruitlessly to hide his tears. "I don't even _like _Eevee anyway! Stupid, overrated loser. Maybe if it was a Charmander... I could burn Blue to cinders…"

"Huh," Blue said, trying to hide his delight as the little fox crawled up his shoulder. "Eevee eh? Not much of a powerhouse, but I guess she'll do for a start." He began to stroke the tiny fox behind the ears, and it let out a contented sigh.

"Eevee, as you know, is a very adaptable Pokemon, capable of evolving into many different types," Oak said. "I wanted you to have options. She has perfect individual values and imagine what she will be capable of when she evolves! With a thunderstone, she becomes a mighty Jolteon, one of the most powerful and agile electric types in the region! Or Vaporeon, one of the most adhesive and capable water types! Or Flareon!"

Blue and Professor Oak stared at each other a moment, before they both broke down into laughter at the thought of Flareon.

Blue wiped a tear of mirth from his eyes. "Aaah...evolving it into Flareon...priceless."

"I'm very proud of you, Blue," Oak said, a kind smile on his face as he looked on his grandson. "You've spent your whole life working up to this moment, and now you're here. Your parents would be so proud as well."

"I uh…ha…yeah," Blue said, overwhelmed by the sudden change in tone. "Well uh…don't act like I'm done yet. I'll be the champion of the Pokemon league and even surpass you, old man."

"I know you will," Oak said, beaming with pride. "That's why I'm so happy."

"Look," Blue said, his voice suddenly becoming a whisper. "While I'm gone…take care of Red for me, okay? We both know he's not cut out to be a trainer, but…I want him to be happy, alright? Find something for him to do, will you?"

Oak nodded. "I'll try, Blue. You know how stubborn he is. Maybe I'll have him become an intern or something. Pokemon tend to hate him, but at least he'll be able to work with them. Even if…even if he'll never truly be a trainer."

He looked down to the crowd, wondering how Red would be reacting to the ceremony, when his heart stopped. There, next to an awkward Yellow, was an empty seat. They met each other's eyes, and Yellow mouthed: "Route 1!"

"Oh, god damn it," Oak said, groaning as he began to sprint down the steps, much to the surprise of Blue and the other teachers. He was getting too old for this. "Not again."

* * *

"All right," Red said, humming to himself as he marched down to Route One, the only path out from Pallet Town that didn't require a water taxi. In one hand he carried rope, and in the other a bottle of ketchup, perfect bait for Pokémon as far as he was concerned.

"I may not have had luck before," Red said as he looked around the tall grass, searching for anything that might be moving. "But now I'm fully prepared! Come out, you little monsters! Help me accomplish my goals and be my slave forever!"

Surprisingly, no one showed up.

"Man," Red said, beginning to daydream as he sat on a big rock in the middle of one of Route One's vast fields. "Imagine what I'll find here? A Charizard, totally. Then Blue will have to admit I'm better."

He thought of riding on a Charizard, the massive dragon lighting up forests and causing bug Pokemon to panic (but who cared, they were bug Pokemon) when a rustling in the grass broke his concentration.

"Charizard," Red whispered, hopping down from the rock. His dreams had come true. He slowly inched towards the rustling grass, his hands shaking a little as he clutched the rope.

Come to think of it, any Pokemon would be cool, Red had to admit. A Dragonite or Scyther for example. Oh. As long as it wasn't-

A small, yellow mouse peeked out from the rustling grass, looking politely puzzled.

"Pika?"


	2. Cowboys & Aliens

"What? Come on! No, no, no, _anyone_ but Pikachu!" Red groaned, falling to his knees in despair. "Pikachu are like the Minions of the Pokémon world, give me a break!"

"Pika?" the Pikachu asked, looking up at Red in confusion. For some reason, the electric mouse was not put off by Red's obnoxious alto. Rather, he watched the bottle of ketchup in Red's hand with hungry eyes.

"I spent weeks making this outfit," Red groaned, head in his hands. "And now everyone's going to think I'm Ash Ketchum. It's not fair."

"Piii…." the Pikachu said, narrowing his eyes.

"I don't want to be mainstream!" Red screeched, stomping his foot on the grass.

"Ow, man, I'm right in front of you! Stop screaming!" the Pikachu snapped, his sensitive ears twitching from the loud noise.

Horrible realization dawned on the Pikachu's face, and he and Red exchanged looks of horror.

"Uh… I mean… Pikachu," the Pikachu said, trying to save face.

"Oh no you don't!" Red said, pointing accusingly at the Pikachu. "You can't fool me. You can totally speak!"

"Dammit, hundreds of years we've been able to act dumb, and I blow it in front of a kid with ADHD." The Pikachu rubbed his aching head. "Now I have to get a Kadabra, wipe the kid's memory—"

"Whoa, hold on," Red said. "Can all Pokémon talk, or is it just you?"

"Of course we can talk!" Pikachu bristled, still annoyed at his own failure. "But you shouldn't sweat it. We'll just pay a psychic a little visit and you'll wake up in your bed tomorrow morning like nothing happened."

"Wait, why?" Red asked. "This is awesome! So many strategies I can pull off. I can smuggle a tiny Pokémon into classrooms and cheat on tests! It's the world's greatest life hack!"

"No way," the Pikachu growled. "This is a secret we Pokémon have kept for years. No way we're letting you run free with that knowledge. Come on, kid, let's get this over with. Trust me, you do not want me to have to use force. It's like getting tased but, like, a thousand times worse."

"Can't we make a deal?" Red pleaded. "I-I'm a Pokémon trainer. We can go on a journey and kick ass and watch movies and sing songs—"

"Wait…. Did you say movies?" the Pikachu asked. "You have movies?"

"Yeah, dude."

"Do you have Cowboys & Aliens?" Pikachu whispered, his eyes widening in wonder. "I've never seen it!"

"I mean, I'm sure there's one on PikaBlu-ray somewhere," Red said, reaching under his hat to scratch the back of his head. "It's not like it's even that good—"

"Kid," the Pikachu said, grabbing at Red's jacket and pulling him close to his face. "If you get me a cut of that movie, we'll keep what happened today a secret. Hell, I'll be your starter Pokémon or whatever. Arceus knows I need the exercise."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Red said, pumping his fist in the air. "We'll conquer the league, and I'll be the greatest trainer ever. I only need you for like, one gym, and then you can do whatever. Just until we get a badass Charizard and Dragonite or something."

"You have yourself a deal, kid," the Pikachu said with a grin as he shook Red's hand, privately believing that the kid wouldn't make it past Route 2. "You'll be an awesome champion and legend; the whole works."

"Well, let's get going then," Red said, before laughing nervously. "Uh… This is kind of embarrassing, but I don't have any Poké Balls yet, so you're going to have to walk."

"Dude, I'll just climb up your shoulder. What's the big deal?" the Pikachu said, scrambling up Red's pant leg.

"Wait no, ew, that's too mainstream," Red said, cringing. "Just sit on my head."

"Your funeral," the Pikachu said with a shrug, clambering up Red's neck and pushing down on Red's forehead.

"Ouch…." Red whimpered as he felt a heavy pain on the back of his head. "I forgot, Pikachu were super fat in this generation… Ow, damn it, just do the shoulder. Do the shoulder!"

"Yeah, that's what I was saying," Pikachu grumbled, sliding down Red's neck. "Off to Viridian, eh?"

"Hold on, can I give you a nickname?" Red asked, as he began to set off, the Pikachu digging his claws into Red's clothes for support.

"Sure, I guess," the Pikachu said, shrugging his shoulders. "We Pokémon were never big on names ourselves, but knock yourself out?"

"I think I'll call you…." Red thought for a moment. "Rocket."

"Rocket, eh?" the Pikachu said, mulling over the name for a moment. "That's like the human contraption, right? The projectile that explodes on impact?"

Red thought of the raccoon from Guardians of the Galaxy. "Uh…. Yeah. That's right."

"Huh," Rocket said to himself. He gave his new trainer a wicked grin. "I can live with that."

Then Pokémon and trainer were off, the former guzzling ketchup and the latter daydreaming about the beginning of his Pokémon journey.

* * *

"_Red_!" Oak shouted, as he jogged through the fields of Route 1, eyes scanning around the vicinity. "_Where the hell did you go_!"

His expression changed when he stepped on something squishy. Grumbling to himself, he lifted his leg up to glance at the bottom of his shoe. A fresh ketchup stain.

"That bastard," Oak whispered. "He didn't… Not Viridian."

Growling to himself, he pulled up his sleeves and pressed a few buttons on his Pokégear. "Hello, Walt? A trainer wearing a ridiculous red outfit may get in your way. If he asks for Poké Balls without a license or a means to pay for them, send him my way. Thank you."

Sighing, Oak ran a hand through his graying hair. One of these days, Red needed a reality check. The professor couldn't keep saving him forever.


	3. Ultimatum

"I'm on the road to Viridian City!" Red sang at the top of his lungs as he marched his way over mounds of the tall grass, ignoring the shrieking Spearow that divebombed him.

"On the road, on the road," Rocket replied, making his voice deeper as he unleashed powerful thunder shocks at the lunging raptors. Each bolt of lightning sent one spinning to earth, and soon there was a pile of the unconscious birds.

Trainer and Pokemon went through all ten verses of the song, before falling into silence. Red was the one to break it, after a few moments of staring at his Pikachu in curiosity.

"So, I've been wondering. If Pokemon are as powerful and intelligent as we are, why is it us humans that run everything?"

"You humans are some of the most arrogant life forms I know," Rocket snorted. "All their "control" over the world is an illusion. Have you read half of old Oak's Pokédex entries? Alakazam has an IQ of five thousand. You pink monkeys have nothing on us."

"Well, then why do you let us capture you and use you in dogfights? A lot of you guys end up dying in league matches," Red countered.

Rocket shrugged his yellow shoulders. "Highly intelligent or not, we're still Pokémon. Battling's what we do. We love it, and human fighting is really boring and lacks diversity. Trust me, we tried making human battling work in the past. Lot of corpses serve as testament to that."

Red shuddered at the idea of that. "So why fight on our terms? You could create your own system or something."

"Well, the Pokémon Leagues you humans designed with are pretty kick-ass. One of the best things your species thought up. Plus, we don't have the same concept of strategy and training methods you humans do, so working with you makes us all the stronger. Look, quit questioning and accept it, all right? I'm not a damn Pokémon psychologist."

"Looks like we're here," Red said, pointing at a sign to their left that inscribed the words: _Viridian City, The Eternally Green City_. "Wow, it's huge!"

"Huge? This is one of the smallest cities in Kanto," Rocket said. "Now, Saffron or Celadon… those are the big puppies."

"Well, I have no context," Red said with a shrug as they walked down the dusty road that led to the city's border. "I've never too far beyond Pallet Town before, and that place is a dinky little hole in the ground."

"Wait, never been out of Pallet?" Rocket said in surprise. "The place with literally two houses? No wonder you're so screwed up in the head. You need to see some sights, get a nice view of the gorgeous Kanto coastline!"

"I heard there's buildings that trades money for supplies and services," Red whispered. "No more digging through trash cans."

"You've never even seen a Poké Mart?" Rocket said, once again in surprise. "Yeesh, Pallet really is the boonies. This has to be a whole new world for you."

Even despite's Rocket's claims that Viridian City wasn't impressive, Red couldn't help but be amazed at the tall green buildings and the sheer amount of people walking around, conversing and going about their day. He had never seen so many people in one place before.

What was disappointing, however, was Viridian's Gym, which normally served as one of the eight challenges that a trainer had to face to challenge the Pokemon League. The gym was locked, and when Red tried to peek inside, a tall man in a white suit stopped him.

"My apologies," the man said, with a flamboyant bow to the trainer. His blue hair was straight and long, and it went down to his shoulders. "But the Gym Leader is away, and as such the gym is off limits for now."

"What?" Red snapped. "He's a gym leader, not the leader of an underground crime syndicate. Being here is his job."

The man bit his lip and shrugged, before eyeing the Pikachu on the trainer's shoulder. "If we're being honest, it's probably for the best. Your little rodent will not be much good alone against the Leader here. Viridian gym is known to be home to Kanto's most powerful trainers."

"Whatever," Red growled, turning on his heels and stalking off. "C'mon, Rocket, let's go to the Poké Shop to get some supplies."

"Poké Mart," Rocket corrected in a whisper.

"Good luck on your journey!" The man called after them in a cheery voice, before a sudden ringing prompted him to check his Pokegear. The man winced as a flanged female voice rang out.

"Fine, fine, I'll get one of the grunts to watch it," he said in a desperate whisper, eager to quiet the woman down. "I'll be at Mt. Moon presently. Please though, leave some fossils for me."

* * *

"Kid, I don't know what else to tell you," an exhausted shopkeeper said, as he leaned over the counter of the Poké Mart. "I can't sell you any Poké Balls."

"Well, why not?" Red shouted, banging his fist on the counter as Rocket stood in the corner, trying to make himself look unrelated to the trainer.

"Well, first of all, you lack a trainer card, so it's illegal for you to go out and catch Pokémon," the shopkeeper said. "Secondly, you have no money, so even if you could purchase Poké Balls you wouldn't have the funds. I'm assuming you're 'Red'? From Pallet Town?"

"That's right!" Red said, grinning and tipping his hat. "See, Rocket? I'm already famous."

"Yeah, Sam told me all about you," The shopkeeper said. "He'll be here in a minute, so you can sort this all out."

"Shit," Red hissed, spinning to face the exit. "Rocket, we need to go before—"

He faltered. Standing next to the door was a frowning Professor Oak, arms folded. Blue was standing next to his grandfather, snickering at the expression on Red's face.

"Hi, Professor," Red said, trying for a winning smile. "Fancy meeting you here!"

"Red, you've been foolish before, but this is downright…" Oak took a deep breath. "You've never gone this far!"

"That's because I finally have a Pokemon of my own!" Red protested, gesturing to Rocket. "My Pikachu! I can travel Kanto now, can't I?"

"You. Are. Unqualified," Oak hissed, dragging Red outside by his jacket. "Blue graduated early thanks to his superb grades, but your grades aren't even acceptable enough for me allow you to start your journey with the other students once trainer season starts."

"That's not fair!" Red snapped. "Just because I can't remember facts and sometimes I accidentally set the grass types on fire doesn't mean I can't make it as a trainer! It's my life dream!"

"I know it is," Oak said quietly. "Good Arceus do I know. You've been passionate about it for as long as I can remember but it's not a job that that everyone can succeed in."

"You always tell me that," Red said, jabbing a finger at Oak's chest. "You always try to convince me of an alternative. You're Professor Oak, the smartest man in Kanto, creator of the Pokédex. If there's anyone who can help me achieve my dream, it's you. Why can't you have faith in me?"

"Because it's not just about you!" Oak growled, losing his temper again. "Pokémon can die if a trainer isn't careful enough, and you struggle with even the basic concepts of Pokemon battling. You and your Pokemon could get yourself killed out there. it's not a game!"

Red opened his mouth, wordlessly staring at the agitated professor.

"Pika," Rocket suddenly said, padding over to Red and giving him a reassuring pat on the leg. He crouched as he faced the professor, his eyes narrowed and his cheeks sparking.

Red gave a grateful smile to his Pokémon before giving Oak a pleading look. "At least let me prove myself now. Let me show you that I can do this."

"Gramps," Blue, who had been watching the exchange quietly up until this point, said. "Let's give him the benefit of the doubt. You said yourself that you can't learn everything in a classroom. I'll battle him here and we can test if he's ready."

"Thanks, Blue," Red said, giving him a smile.

Blue returned a cocky grin of his own. "Let's not get mushy. I'll take any excuse I can to knock you into the dirt."

Oak looked down at a Poké Ball in his hand. All he wanted was for the two boys to be happy, and he knew that both loved battling Pokemon with all their heart. Red was not ready, but was he himself any different when he started out? In truth, Red scared him because he reminded Oak of himself, much more than his own grandson. Oak knew that he had gotten far, but the hardship that got him there… was it something he could put Red through?

"All right," Oak said, raising his hands in surrender. "You and Blue may battle, and I'll serve as referee. If you and your Pikachu's performance in the battle is satisfactory, you may begin your Pokémon journey alongside Blue. If not…"

He fixed Red with a piercing stare. "I don't want to hear a word about you attempting to train Pokémon ever again. You'll find another career."

He expected Red to flounder at the ultimatum, but he didn't even hesitate in his acceptance, meeting Oak's eyes with a steely gaze of his one. Blue chuckled at that, unclipping the Poké Ball from his belt and pressing the button on the front of it.

"Eevee, let's get this over with." The fox Pokémon stuck the landing well on her powerful legs, and she gave Rocket a growl of challenge. The Pokemon stared one another down, tensing into combative stances.

Blue folded his arms, his next three moves already planned in his head. Red tipped his hat, secretly trying to remember the names of Rocket's attacks.

"Let the battle begin!" Oak shouted, and both trainers shouted their orders at the same time.


	4. Playing Dead

Eevee lunged, throwing herself at Rocket, her amber eyes dilating. Rocket rolled out of her path, chancing a glance over his shoulder as she shot past. He may not have the Eevee's superior genes, but he was still a Pikachu.

And no Eevee could outpace a Pikachu.

Red watched Eevee slide, almost losing her balance after her missed attack. The opening was obvious.

"Use hyper beam, Rocket!" Red shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

Rocket tensed. He blinked at Red, confused, before glancing helplessly to Professor Oak. A moment later, the Eevee was slamming into him, and he squeaked out as he was sent rolling away.

"Red, your Pikachu is level five," Oak said. He had his head in his hands. "Not to mention the fact that his species is unable to learn the move…"

Rocket couldn't risk speaking to Red directly, but he threw his trainer a look that plainly said, 'I NEED ORDERS!' Eevee sprung back to her trainer's side.

"Excellent hit, Eevee," Blue said. "Use tackle again!"

Eevee sprinted forward once more as Red racked his brain, trying to remember his Pokémon's attacks.

"Uh…use thunder…thunder smash!" Red cried out.

Rocket shook his head resignedly. "Close enough."

With a shriek of effort, Rocket unleashed a power bolt of lightning, generated from his cheeks—that missed, sailing harmlessly past the Eevee's head as she ducked. The fox tackled Rocket again, sending the poor tumbling head over tail. Blue's usual smirk widened as Rocket slowly managed to force himself to feet, taking slow, haggard breaths. The fight was just about over.

"Use tackle, Eevee, end it!" Blue ordered.

"Use thunder blast, Rocket!" Red shouted.

Eevee charged once more as Rocket steeled himself to force out another thundershock. The lightning managed to strike Eevee for once, and it did damage judging by the expression of pain on her face, but it didn't stop her offensive, feinting Rocket and tackling him when he fell for it and tried to dodge in the direction she was baiting out. The Pikachu's face smacked the dirt, and he moaned out in pain, feeling blood spill from his mouth.

Rocket lay still, considering throwing the towel, when he saw Red's hand shift slightly, holding out four fingers for him to see. It was probably ridiculous to assume Red would have some hidden message for him, but…

"Uh, is he alive?" Blue said, as the Pikachu failed to get up. "Maybe we went a little overboard, huh, Eevee?"

The fox was sniffing over Rocket's body curiously, and Rocket saw Red's fingers close into a fist. Realization dawned on the Pikachu.

"OOGA BOOGA!" Rocket shrieked, pouncing on a flabbergasted Eevee. Before the fox could move, Rocket unleashed torrents of electricity into her, as much as his tiny body could hold. She shrieked and writhed but could not break free from his grip. Rocket began to scream, his limbs on fire, but he didn't let up his assault.

"Don't waste time trying to throw him off!" Blue ordered, getting over his surprise. "Knock him away."

Eevee gritted her teeth, fighting the pain long enough slam her head against Rocket's with a resounding crack. Rocket let out a yelp, losing his grip as he fell back onto the grass, clutching his head. The Eevee, covered in soot, made to charge him down. Three steps forward and she grimaced as a paralysis effect rendered her body immobile. Rocket rose to his feet, and the two exhausted Pokémon glared.

"I've seen enough," Oak said. "We'll call it a draw."

"What?" Blue hissed as Red whooped at his narrow escape of failure. "Gramps, I had him."

"If the battle had gone on any longer, both Pokémon would be at a serious risk," Oak said. His expression softened. "We don't want anyone getting seriously hurt."

"So, does that mean I can start my adventure?" Red whispered. His eyes were shining.

Oak, already feeling regret, nodded. "You will get your official license to capture and train Pokémon. If you so desire, you can challenge the eight gyms of Kanto."

"Yes!" Red whooped, before wheeling on Blue. "You hear that? From here on out we're rivals!"

"We are, are we?" Blue asked, raising an eyebrow. "Next time we fight I'll beat you bad you'll wish you stayed in school."

Oak watched their exchange. He had to admit, Red had surprised him. He had thought the boy stagnant, unable to learn from his mistakes. But it seemed now that the many times Blue had defeated him had rubbed off enough for Red to begin to plan counter strategies. Perhaps there was more to Red than met the eye after all…

* * *

"I'm sure glad you translated my hand gestures, Rocket," Red said. They sat in the medical area of the Pokémon Center, where Nurse Joy was spraying the Pikachu with a potion that was slowly but surely working to heal his injuries. "Four is a Japanese symbol for death, and you took the hint of playing dead perfectly."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, we're both nerds," Rocket said, before hissing as Joy sprayed a particularly nasty bruise. "Ow. Watch the merchandise, toots."

Red had been surprised to learn that Nurse Joys were, in fact, Dittos that had evolved to emulate humans and their jobs. He supposed it made sense, considering how many of the identical nurses there were.

"Anyway, we better watch that movie, soon," Rocket grumbled. "If all your strategies rely on beating the tar out of me, I won't survive more than a few fights."

"Don't worry, I'll only use you until I have a team of badass Pokemon," Red said. "With the legendary birds, Charizard, Dragonite... then you can go get stoned in Fuchsia City or something."

"Ooh, that sounds good," the Pikachu said with a wistful grin. "You sure know how to motivate a guy."

"Well then, let's go catch some teammates!" Red said, leaping to his feet. Rocket chuckled. He was so confident and excited it was hard not to get caught up in the hype.

"Not so fast, Red," Professor Oak said, walking into the hospital room, having overhead the trainer's attempt to leave. "If you're serious about becoming a Pokemon trainer we need to register Rocket as yours and get your trainer card and Pokédex. We'll need to go back to Pallet because it'll take a few days to get everything in order."

"But Blue already left!" Red protested. "He'll have a huge head start if we take that long."

"Then you'll have to compensate. Come along, Red. It's better to get these things out of the way."

Red moaned as Oak dragged him out, and his grousing was heard long after he was out of the Pokemon Center.

"Is he always like that?" Nurse Joy said, amused and more than a little concerned for Rocket.

"Yeah, he's a keeper, isn't he?" Rocket said with a chuckle as he hopped to the hospital floor, intent on chasing after his new trainer.


	5. The Real Beginning

"He's so cute," Yellow said, squishing Rocket in her arms and giggling. The Pikachu winced at the tight grip, but he began to sigh a little in satisfaction as she began to scratch behind his ear. "I can't believe Oak actually let you start your own journey, Red!"

"Yup!" Red said, grinning from where he sat on the front steps of Professor Oak's laboratory, tipping his hat over his eyes. "By the time you see me next, I'll be a Pokemon master."

"We all know that you're going to crash and burn, Ash," Green said. "You're the worst student in the class, and every Pokemon you've worked with in mock battles has hated you."

"Okay, one, it's Red," Red snapped. "Two, you weren't there. Rocket and I beat Blue in a match."

"It was a draw," Professor Oak said, stepping out of his lab and nudging Red with his foot, forcing the new trainer to scramble out of his way. "And that was because you got lucky with a paralysis effect. Still, your Pikachu hasn't tried to kill you yet, so I suppose that's at least a start."

"Gramps! Er...I mean, Oak!" Red said. "Is everything ready? Can we head out now?"

"In a moment, Red," Oak said. "Green, have you made a decision?"

"Yeah, I have," Green said, gesturing to the bag on her back. "I'm every bit the trainer your grandson is, and I think I've learned all I can from your classes, professor. It sucks that I won't be able to rep Pallet like Blue and Red, but at this point I just want to start raising Pokemon."

"Wait, Green, you're starting your journey too?" Red asked, stunned.

"That's right," Green said, giving a little mock bow. "I'm going to be interning for Rocket Industries for a bit, and they offer a program that gives us a starter Pokemon and a Pewter trainer license. There's an excavation not too far from here, over at Mt. Moon, so I'll be able to jump right into it."

"Then here's a little gift from me," Professor Oak said, handing her the same invention he did his grandson. "Technically you're not supposed to be carrying a Pokedex, but I was able to pull a few strings."

"Sweet!" Green said, clutching it in her hand. "It's such an honor to carry one of these!"

"Red, I have one for you as well," Oak said, handing him the delicate device. "Oh, and your trainer card-"

"Yes!" Red said, dropping the Pokedex immediately, and looking down at the smooth, silver card with his face on it, Rocket's own face appearing on one of the six Pokeballs under his labeled name-

"Hey, why doesn't it say 'Red'?" Red demanded, as Yellow scooped up the fallen Pokedex.

"Obviously your birth name needed to be displayed," Oak said, rolling his eyes. "And please be more careful with the Pokedex. It's my life's goddamn work for crying out loud."

"Right, sorry," Red said, taking the Pokedex from Yellow. He couldn't hide the wide grin on his face, and he looked downright ready to explode with joy.

"Finally, I've registered Rocket the Pikachu as your official starter Pokemon," Oak said, handing Red a Pokeball with a lightning bolt engraved above the button. "As of right now you're an official trainer of Pallet Town."

"Awesome!" Red cried. "Let's go, Rocket!"

"Wait, wait, wait," Oak said. "Red, are you even packed?"

"I uh..of course!" Red said, showing the Professor his backpack. "With all the essentials!"

"Right. The essentials," Oak said, rummaging through it. "Red. All that's in here is candy, a few DVDs, and a roll of condoms."

"H-hey, I could get lucky!" Red said, nudging Green, who rolled her eyes and pushed him away.

"Red, please go pack some better provisions and at least a change of clothes," Oak said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I'll be fine!"

"Red, please," Oak said. "The sooner you get packed, the sooner you can get the hell out of-"

"I don't...I don't really want to go back to my house," Red admitted, biting his lip. Rocket's ears perked up at that, and both Green and Yellow looked down a bit awkwardly.

"Oh. I see," Oak said, with a nod of understanding. "Well, allow me. I'd probably do a better job anyway. Please excuse me Green, I'll get you a ride to Pewter City presently."

"Of course, prof," Green said, giving a quick glance to Red. "Take all the time you need."

"You doing okay?" Yellow asked Red, who suddenly looked very embarrassed. "Today one of the bad days?"

"Uh, of course I am?" Red said. "I just uh...want to move on with life, y'know? Leave my boring suburban home and get wild."

"Of course," Yellow said, brushing her blonde hair behind her ear. "I get it."

* * *

Oak was surprised she even opened the door.

Delia, Red's mother stood at the door, dressed in a dirty bathrobe, blinking at the professor for several seconds before comprehension really dawned on her. "Oh. Hello. What did Quill do this time?"

Oak cleared his throat. "Hello, Delia. Your son is actually not going to be here for a long time. He's begun his Pokemon journey. I'm just here to help him pack."

"Huh," Delia said, letting out a little yawn. "That actually panned out, huh? He'll never let me hear the end of this. I told him there was no way he'd ever graduate. Not like his father at all."

"Yes, well, he's far exceeded my expectations," Oak said, teetering on the balls of his feet. "I'm sure he'll be happy to know you're proud of him."

"I'll be proud of him when he does better in school," Delia said, snorting. "You coming in?"

Delia's home was as unkempt and messy as always. Clothes and wrappers were strewn across the floor, and it was so dark that Oak slammed his bad knee into the edge of a low table, letting out a little moan in response.

"Sorry, damn electric bill," Delia said in response. "You want some coffee?"

"I'm quite alright," Oak said, limping over to where he knew Red's room was.

In contrast to the untidy house, Red's room was clean and well organized, with a bed that was made with fresh sheets. Oak had had a feeling that he hadn't been staying there recently. Posters of 'Ash Ketchum' were all on the walls, as well as figures of some of the Pokemon he was obsessed with. Oak rolled his eyes at the sheer number of Dragonites that were there.

"You know, he never tells me anything anymore," Delia said conversationally through a mouthful of something. "I suppose I just thought his lack of news was par for the course, given his track record in... well, anything really."

By the time Oak had finished packing, Delia was asleep on her counter, the sink still running. Letting out a sigh, he leaned over the counter and turned it off, before leaving some cash on the counter for the electric bill.

"Hopefully the bills are what she spends the money on," Oak muttered as he gingerly shut the front door behind him. He never liked to be at Red's house longer than he needed to.

* * *

"I gave you a bit of money to get by until you can earn some in official matches," Oak said to Red as he and the two girls led the trainer to the outskirts of Pallet. "Pokeballs, a few potions...enough to tide you over to Pewter city."

"Thanks, Oak," Red said, giving the professor a smile. "I uh...couldn't have done it without you."

"It's your Pokemon you must rely on now," Oak said, gesturing to the Pikachu on his shoulder. "Rely on each other. Teamwork is what's most important on the road ahead."

"Yeah, yeah, we've all seen the show," Red said. "Can I get going now? I'll be sure to make you proud!"

"Just don't get yourself killed, you goof," Green said with a chuckle, giving Red a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you on the road ahead."

Red blushed. "Aw...gee."

The trainer set off, already singing the Viridian City song again.

"He's nothing if not confident," Green said, shaking her head and grinning after him. "Well, I'd better go say goodbye to my folks."

"I'll miss you too, Green," Yellow said sadly. "Everyone else is going on without me and I'll be stuck in Pallet until trainer season."

"Well, I do have an alternative," Professor Oak said helpfully. "What do you feel about wearing a large floppy hat to hide the fact that you're a girl?"

"Really, Professor?" Yellow asked with a groan.

"What, it works out in the manga!"

* * *

With a fierce squawk, the Spearow darted through the sky, swift as an arrow, aiming for the Eevee challenging it. The fox however, nimbly dodged to the side, and the bird was forced to pull up.

"Excellent dodge, Eevee," Blue Oak said, grinning at his starter's competence. She really was a prodigy. "Now let's bait it out and finish the thing."

Sure enough, Spearow made for another pass, but this time Eevee wasn't content with just dodging. Ducking under the tiny bird's swipe, she jumped and bit it by the leg, eliciting a surprised squawk. With a grunt of effort, Eevee hurled the Spearow down with all her strength, slamming the poor bird against the ground.

"Now," Blue said, tossing a Pokeball, his grin never fading all the while. The ball made contact with the dazed Spearow, and it entered the ball, which began to shake. A moment's breath of anticipation and the ball stopped moving. The Spearow was caught.

"Excellent work," Blue said, giving his starter a pat on the head. "You're every bit the Pokemon a genius like me deserves."

Picking the ball up, he hesitated. "Think I'll name you...Hawkeye. And you know…? I caught just about every species possible on Route One, but you're the first one I think I'll officially add to my battle team."

"Oh, that's cute."

"Pardon?" Blue said, and he and his Eevee turned.

An older man than Blue was smirking as he approached the new trainer wearing a dark outfit with a red 'R' labeled on the front, an impressive looking Slowbro at his side who shared his expression. "Just interesting to see some new blood this far before trainer season starts. Aren't you a few months early?"

"Well, I am a special case," Blue said, showing the man his trainer card. "Top qualifier of Professor Oak's Pokemon Academy. His grandson as well. Just started out on my journey two days ago."

"Well, ain't that interesting. The old coot's living' vicariously through you, I see." The man leaned down to pet the Eevee, who giggled in delight. "Hmph. Strong breed. Clearly bred to fight."

"Look, can I help you at all?" Blue asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not to be rude, but why travel to Route 22 of all places?"

"Headin' to Victory Road," the man said. "I'll be the first qualifier to fight the Elite Four next season. First time in years."

"You sure seem exuberant about it," Blue said. "Considering they don't accept challengers for quite a few months."

"I'm taking the time to train," the older man said, shrugging his shoulders. "I uh...didn't do so well last time I took on the elite four. Didn't even make it to the dragon master, and I was flat out broke on both money and Pokemon afterwards. Rocket Industries gave me the resources necessary for a second chance. Considering the Pokemon I lost the first time...I felt I'd owed it to them."

Blue's eyes flickered a scar that ran deep down one of the Slowbro's arms. Their eyes met, and Blue felt himself shiver a bit at the intensity in the Pokemon's gaze, one not befitting that of a lazy, mellow Slowbro. Blue's Eevee was no doubt powerful for her species, but against a Pokemon of that level and experience? He'd pop off Eevee's head without effort.

"Ah, stop spooking the kid, Sebastian," the man said with a snicker, and trainer and Pokemon began on their way. "See you around, kid. I have a feeling you'll go far."

"Can I get your name?" Blue called after him. "I'm hoping once I learn the ropes we'll have a battle!"

"Friends call me Proton!" The man snapped. "And you'd better follow through after the expectations you've been setting for me. I don't like disappointments!"

"Huh, Rocket Industries, eh?" Blue muttered. "Wonder why they'd care at all about Pokemon battling.

"More importantly." Blue lifted up Eevee in his arms. "I still haven't thought up a good name for you, girl. Enough training, I'm dedicating the rest of the day to find the perfect nickname for my battle princess."

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's_ For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	6. The World's Colors

"You know, I'm no trainer," Rocket said, zapping a Pidgey that tried to lunge for him. "But aren't you supposed to catch Pokemon?"

Red had spent the first day rejecting the local Pokemon: Spearow, Pidgey, and Rattata, because they weren't 'cool enough.' After having his Pikachu blast up Route One and likely causing great damage to the ecosystem, Red took a beeline from Viridian City to Route 22, eager to keep training.

"But these ones are so boring!" Red said. "I don't want to waste time training a shitty rodent."

"I'm a rodent!" Rocket said, offended.

"Well, yeah but uh…." Red scratched the back of his head. "Um….yeah, I don't really have a satisfying response to that."

"You don't think I'm cool?" Rocket asked in disbelief. "I have electric powers! I'm like the most popular Pokemon in the world!"

"Yeah, and overexposed," Red said, rolling his eyes. "Maybe if we get you to a Raichu…."

"I don't want to be a Raichu!" Rocket snapped.

"Wait, shh...do you see that?" Red asked, crouching down. On instinct, the PIkachu ducked as well. The nearby bush was rustling, and a long, thin, white tail was hanging out.

"That one could be cool," Red said. "Go beat it up, Rocket."

"I don't want to," Rocket said, folding his arms. "Not after how rude you were to me."

Red slapped himself hard in the face. "Rocket, please! It's right there."

"No, you hurt my feelings," Rocket said, pouting.

"All right!" Red shouted. "I'm sorry I said you were overexposed and not cool. I didn't mean it, and I'm grateful to have you."

"Do you mean that?" Rocket said, glancing up at the trainer.

"Of course!" Red said. "Look, without your help, I'd still be stuck in Pallet Town. Me meeting you was the greatest day of my life."

"I-It was?" Rocket said, managing a small smile. "Well, I guess in that case-"

"KEEEEY!" The Pokemon in the bushes, a Mankey, burst out of the bush and sprinted forward, foaming at the….well wherever the mouth would be.

Red and Rocket both screamed.

The rabid Mankey lunged at Red, who swung his bag to knock it off balance. Before it could attack again, Rocket was on it with a battle cry. As the two wrestled, Rocket let out several electric blasts, but they only seemed to make it angrier.

Rocket yelped as the Mankey's arms went around his throat and pinned him to the ground. "Agh...throw the ball…!" He rasped, struggling to get out the words. "Catch the damn-grrk!"

"I got you, Rocket!" Red said, hurling a Pokeball….that missed the Mankey and struck the Pikachu on the ear.

"Leave him alone!" Red shouted, throwing more balls, all of them hitting Rocket.

"Ow! I-ow! I changed my mind-ow! STOP HELPING!" Rocket shrieked.

With a yowl of effort, Rocket managed a focused bolt of lightning, blasting Mankey off its feet, and rolled over, retching. Red threw a ball, but Mankey suddenly turned and caught it in midair.

"Damn it, why is this so hard?" Red moaned, as Mankey charged him.

"Okay, only one of you left," Red said, stepping back. "Er...want the hat?"

He took it off and waved it in front of the monkey, watching its eyes follow it. Rocket advanced on it from behind, ready to strike, but Red shook his head, and the Pikachu backed off.

With a grunt of effort, he tossed the hat and backpedaled, gulping as the Mankey sprinted forwards. It tackled the hat, looking at it for a moment, before putting it on its head. Giggling a little, it clapped its hands, before a Pokeball slammed into its nose and it entered the ball.

"I can't believe that worked," Rocket said, gaping as he walked up to the shaking ball. Still, his cheeks sparked with electricity in case the monkey broke free.

It didn't though, and it stopped shaking.

"Huh," Rocket said with a blink. "Not bad-"

"YES!" Red shouted in victory. "MY FIRST OFFICIAL CAPTURE! AND IT'S A COOL ONE!"

"Wait, we're keeping this psycho?" Rocket asked. "The damn thing nearly choked me to death."

"But it didn't, you big baby," Red said. "C'mon, let's head back to the Pokemon Center. I think we all could use a rest."

"Well, I can't argue with that I guess," Rocket said. "But you're paying for a Pokemon Spa and Bath. Arceus knows I deserve it after today."

* * *

"Sorry about getting so rough like that," the Mankey, now placated, said. The monkey was hanging from one the wardrobes from her tail, eating some of the grub Nurse Joy had been kind enough to feed her. "Once I get into a rage, I kind of lose it. Total berserker thing."

"I mean, that's cool as hell," Red said, from where he was lying on the bed. "But why were you so angry anyway?"

"My home wasn't what it used to be," the Mankey said with a little sigh. "For some reason, these trainers keep coming in hoards, capturing bunches of Pokemon at once. By the time you guys showed up, all my friends were gone. All the other Mankey and Nidoran…."

"Well, I guess that explains why we only ran into common Pokemon on that route," Rocket said, walking into the room, towel wrapped around his waist. "Still, groups of trainers? That's odd."

"They were wearing dark outfits," the Mankey said, and her hands began to tremble. "Urgh, even the sight of them throws me into a-grrrrr…."

"Whoa, easy!" Rocket said, raising his hands defensively. "Happy thoughts! Clouds and sunshine!"

The Mankey took a few deep breaths. "Er...sorry about that. Can we change the conversation?"

"Well, how about a nickname?" Red said. "I was thinking...Jackie. Like...Jackie Chan. Get it, like in Kung Fu Panda!"

"Oh," Mankey said. "Is Jackie Chan cool?"

"So cool," Red said with a grin. "He's a kickass martial artist, and he does his own stunts! Hell, I think I might have some of his movies…"

"Maybe we should discuss where we are from here?" Rocket asked, raising an eyebrow. "Since we basically know there's nothing for us 'round Viridian, we should probably head for Viridian Forest tomorrow."

"Oh, good idea!" Red said, clapping his hands. "We can beat up some bug types!"

* * *

"Mt. Moon, eh?" Green said, looking up at the mouth of the massive cave. "I've never even been out of Pallet, so I've never seen anything like this. It's pretty incredible."

"Yup!" The scientist next to her said with a little whistle. He was wearing a torn up lab coat and thick glasses. "I've been working at this site for three weeks, and still every time I see it takes my breath away."

Mt. Moon was closed off by yellow tape, and several men in dark outfits with red 'R's labeled on their breast stood guard. Green didn't like the look of them, especially considering how they were staring at her. The man that came out to greet her seemed far more friendly and gentlemanly, however. His own suit was white and pristine, making the 'R' look even more striking.

"You must be the new intern from Pallet yes?" The man said, holding out his hand. "I'm James, co-head researcher in the Mt. Moon initiative along with my partner Jessie. I've heard quite a bit about you from Professor Oak. One of his top students I hear?"

"Aww...he said that about me?" Green said, chuckling a little as she eagerly shook his hand. "I've always wanted to see Rocket Industries at work."

"And you will!" James said, leading Green and the scientist past the guards, who nodded in respect to James and did away with the tape. "I see you met our top archeologist, Miguel."

"Yes, he was kind enough to greet me when I arrived in Pewter. Gave me an amazing tour of the museum he works for, and I'll admit, he certainly hyped me up for this internship," Green said, looking around in awe. Massive moonstones shone, enveloping the cave in a low, peaceful light.

"Oh, Miguel, that's so you," James said, turning back to chuckle at the embarrassed scientist.

"I can't help myself," Miguel said with an awkward chuckle. "Whenever someone new comes aboard I can't help but geek out to get them excited. It made me popular as a C.I.T."

"It's thanks to Miguel's discoveries that our research team even knew to come here," James said as he led them down the tunnel. "We all knew Mt. Moon was shrouded in mystery, but Miguel was the first one to discover remnants of fossils deep in the cave. New, extinct Pokemon are being discovered as we speak."

"Wow," Green said. "That's...incredible."

"Green, you haven't even heard anything yet," Miguel said with an excited giggle. "If you knew what Rocket Industries had the potential to do with these fossils…"

"Ah, here we are!" James said, and they walked into a massive chamber, this one clearly lived in. Torches were lit along the cavern walls, and cots were strewn about. Scientists were relaxing and talking as they drank coffee, over tables with maps and excavation tools practically overflowing. James smiled, leading Green to a far more presentable table in the back, with a single Pokeball and a folded outfit upon it.

"Your very first Pokemon," James said, giving a little bow. Hands shaking, Green picked up the ball. "Well, let him out!"

A Nidoran was released from the ball, and he blinked up at Green with big round eyes. Green, staring in awe, leaned down, and, careful to avoid his poison spikes, began to stroke his forehead. Nidoran's eyes closed and moved into her touch.

James looked to a smiling Miguel. "There's nothing more magical than a trainer meeting their starter Pokemon for the first time."

Soon the Nidoran was shuddering in pleasure when Green scratched behind his ear, his foot thumping on the dirt floor. When Green scooped him up her in arms, he made no move to escape, nestling comfortably in her arms.

"I...thank you," Green said, looking at her first Pokemon in disbelief. "He's incredible."

"It's customary to give Pokemon a nickname," Miguel said. "Something that even deepens your bond."

"How about….Tyrone?" The Nidoran sneezed at that. "No? Maybe Gerald?"

Gerald smiled at the name, looking up and licking Green's cheek.

James smiled. "I'm sure your friendship will be long and prosperous. Now, as an intern here you'll be working as Miguel's assistant, offering him your services with whatever he needs and hopefully learning a lot along the way. I know you're eager to be a Pokemon trainer, but I promise that if you ever would like a job with us, I do have a bit of pull at The Silph Company."

He gave her a little wink.

"Well, that would be amazing," Green said. "Seriously, you guys are awesome. Best internship ever!"

"I'm excited to work with you as well, Green," Miguel said in his little nervous laugh of his. "Today we'll just tour around the cave, introduce you to how we do things. Shall we get started?"

"Oh, one last thing," James said, suddenly looking a little awkward. He picked up the folded up outfit on the table and held it out, revealing it to be the same one as the guards outside and many of the workers she had seen lounging around. The red 'R' as usual, shown in the torch's light. "I know you're technically an intern, but we at Rocket Industries believe that we function best as a cohesive unit, each individual man part of a greater whole. These outfits are mandatory, so we'll need you to wear this."

"Oh," Green said, taking the outfit. "Heh, not sure if black and red is my color."

"My dear Green." A mysterious light shone in James' eyes. A look of...hunger. "If Rocket Industries grows and expands under our leader's shining example, black and red will be the world's colors."

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	7. A Lesson in Defeat

Letting out a shriek of excitement, Jackie the Mankey lunged at a cluster of bug types minding their own business, swiping and kicking relentlessly. Recognizing the massive power gap, the Weedles didn't even bother trying to fight back, instead running as fast as their stubby little legs could carry them. Hooting, Jackie pursued.

"Woo!" Red said, pumping a fist as he watched his first capture get to work. "Rip up those bugs! Chase them down! Being a trainer is awesome!"

"Well, yeah…" the Caterpie said from her position on Red's right shoulder, opposite Rocket. "But um...he's kind of killing all my friends and family."

"Don't worry, Lucina!" Red said. "You have a new family now!"

"Word to the wise, doll," Rocket said under his breath, so that only Lucina the Caterpie could hear him. "Get out of here while you still can."

"What was that, Rocket?" Red asked, curious.

"I said, can we get out of here while we still can?" Rocket snapped. "Sweet, merciful Mew, I hate this place."

"What's with you and Viridian anyway?" Red asked. "We barely did anything here. I mean, I'd be more upset if we weren't coming back this way, but-"

"Wait." Rocket hopped off Red's shoulders and turned to face him. "We're going back?"

"Well, duh," Red said, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, the gym leader's not going to be gone forever, is he? Viridian gym's still the closest one to Pewter."

"W-wait, you can't fight Giovanni!" Caterpie said. "He'll eat us alive!"

"Pardon?"

"Red, Giovanni is the most powerful and most ruthless gym leader in Kanto," Rocket said. "He's built up a horrible reputation."

"R-really?" Red whispered.

"Stop getting excited!" Rocket shouted. "More Pokemon have died in his gym than the others put together. I want to adventure with you, kid, but if Giovanni's on the menu, count me out!"

"All right, all right, I get it," Red said with a sigh. "It sounds like he'll be awesome to fight, but like...I don't want you guys to die or anything."

"Gee, thanks for the concern," Rocket drawled. "I feel so loved."

"...You guys are gonna be the death of me, huh," Lucina said with a little sigh.

"Hey guys!" Jackie sprinted out, covered in blood that wasn't necessarily hers. "I found a trainer!'

"My first trainer battle!" Red said, doing a little dance. "C'mon, guys!"

* * *

"Oh," Red said, deflating. "It's just you."

"Trust me, the feeling is mutual," Blue Oak said with a chuckle. The trainer was leaning back against a tree, eyeing his new rival and his Pokemon with amusement. "I see you've been busy, huh."

"Busy preparing to kick your ass!" Red shouted. "Blue, I challenge you to a battle."

"I'm not here to battle," Blue said. "I'm here to fill up my Pokedex. Supposedly Pikachu live here."

"Oh, they do?" Jackie said, nudging Rocket. "Maybe we can meet your family, dude!"

"Not all Pikachu know each other, Jackie," Rocket said, gritting his teeth.

"Nah man, official rules state that when challenged to a battle, trainers must accept it!" Red said, reading from his Pokedex. "If not you'll be fined!"

"Of course that's the one thing about Pokemon you actually remember," Blue said, shaking his head and smirking. "All right, Ashy-boy, I'll humor you."

"Stop calling me that!" Red snapped. "Lucina, let's kick some ass!"

The Caterpie slowly crawled off Red's shoulder, and dropped onto to the grass. She looked up at Blue and blinked.

"Heh, Hawkeye, you're up!" Blue said, tossing a Pokeball from his belt. A burst of light and the Spearow took to the sky, letting out a war-cry. Lucina's eyes bulged in horror.

"We can take him, Lucina!" Red said.

"Are...are you serious?" Blue asked in disbelief.

"String shot!" Red shouted. Lucina closed her eyes in resignation, before shooting off a string that Hawkeye dodged with ease.

"Peck attack!" Blue snapped. "Try not to murder the poor thing."

Hawkeye dove down, shooting towards Lucina, who shrieked and sprinted in the opposite direction.

"Crap, I don't like that look in his eye," Red muttered as the Spearow licked its lips. "Uh...Lucina, return!"

A split second before the Spearow could make contact with the fleeing Caterpie she disappeared in the ball. Smirking at his victory, Hawkeye fell back and flew alongside his trainer, who gave him a nod of respect.

"Did you even train the bug?" Blue drawled. "You know you can't just send it out and expect it to excel right away."

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" Red shouted. "Rocket, you're up!"

The Pikachu nodded, sprinting onto the field, his cheeks sparkling with electricity.

"You're gonna pay for it now!" Red said. "Rocket, thundershock!"

Rocket let out a shout, shooting a bolt of lightning out of his cheeks that Hawkeye swooped to the left to avoid.

"Hawkeye, return!" Blue shouted, and the Spearow disappeared in a red light.

"Use another-huh?" Red blinked. "What gives, Blue? Your Spearow never took a single hit."

"The match-up's too unfavorable. All that I'm doing by keeping Hawkeye in is risking him getting hurt badly," Blue said. "Know your limitations or you'll only beat yourself."

"Well, it's your loss," Red said. "And I have two Pokemon at full health remaining."

"Good, I was getting bored anyway," Blue said, winking. "Princess, it's up to you."

He tossed his remaining Pokeball, and Eevee burst out, standing proudly on her feet.

"You named her 'Princess'?' Red snorted. "Lame."

"A princess of battle," Blue countered. "Use tackle."

"Rocket, use thundershock!" Red shot back.

The Pikachu launched another blast of lightning, but Princess was quicker than before. Hopping over the electric attack with ease, she slammed into Rocket, who let out a wail as he crashed to the ground.

"Damn it, thundershock!" Red snapped. "Don't let up."

"Back out and gain some distance!" Blue called.

Princess danced out of the way of Rocket's next thundershock, before tackling him again. Rocket stumbled, firing another blast, but Eevee rolled to avoid it with ease, and the lightning crackled past her.

"Your Pikachu's movements are telegraphed, and there's too much pause between his attacks," Blue said. "If this keeps up, you're gonna lose. Just tellin' ya."

"I don't need advice!" Red shouted. "Rocket, tag out! Jackie, up to bat!"

Princess retreated immediately, jogging back to Blues' side, while Rocket stumbled back to his own trainer with a few deep wheezes. Jackie grinned and sprinted forward, raising a hand to high five him, but Rocket was dazed and Jackie merely slapped him in the face.

"Wh-whoops!" Jackie whispered as Rocket moaned. "Sorry about that."

"We have type advantage this time, Blue," Red said, tipping his hat, and Jackie crouched into an aggressive stance. "You gonna call back your Eevee like you did your Spearow?"

Blue sized up the Monkey, fingering the jewel hanging down from his necklace. He nodded after a moment.

"Nah, we can take her. Tackle!"

"Karate Chop!" Red snapped back, and both Pokemon lunged forward. Princess tensed, like she was going to pounce, but Jackie was faster, and landed a vicious chop on her head, following up with a kick that sent her rolling away.

Princess hissed as she pulled out of her roll in a slide, gritting her teeth. Jackie giggled at the edge she had gained.

"You alright, Princess?" Blue asked in concern, before grinning at her nod. "Good, let's change up our strategy."

"Keep the momentum going and take her down!" Red cried, drunk on the advantage he had gained.

Jackie jumped, her hands outstretched, but instead of meeting her Princess stood still, only moving to dodge the monkey's strike. Letting out a shout of anger, Jackie pressed her hard, and it was all the Eevee could do to dodge her repeated blows.

"Good, now sand attack!" Blue shouted. Princess ducked under one of Jackie's punches and jumped back up with a wicked grin. Kicking up dust, she aimed it at Jackie's face, who screeched in pain as it went directly in her eyes.

"Got her," Blue said.

He was right. Though Jackie was still physically capable and angrier by the second, all that rage was going to waste when she couldn't see her opponent. She struck out blindly with her limbs, while Eevee kept out of her range.

"Dammit, Jackie! Use your ears instead of your eyes! Red shouted. "She's making a fool out of you!"

At that, Jackie let out a roar, and lunged….right into a tree? Banging into it, she stumbled back, before shrieking in anger and digging into the bark relentlessly, all while Princess stood harmlessly to the side, snickering.

"It's over, Red," Blue said. "Mankeys are downright rabid when they're worked up into a rage, and you've done nothing to improve her temperament. Call her back before she hurts herself."

"F-fine!" Red shouted, recalling Jackie (who was now banging her head against the tree). "Damn it….I was supposed to beat you!"

"You weren't supposed to do anything, Red," Blue said, rolling his eyes and recalling Princess. "I don't know where your swelled head even comes from, but it's starting to hurt you. Simply put, I won because I'm a better trainer."

Red sat down and put his head in his hands.

"Oh shit," Blue said, gaping. "Are you crying?"

"N-no I'm not!" Red whimpered. "I-I don't even like Pokemon anyway, you big asshole!"

Blue snorted, walking over to the moping trainer and crouching down beside him. "Look, if it helps you feel better, you're doing a lot better than I initially expected you to."

"R-really?" Red said, sniffing.

"Yeah, idiot," Blue said, punching him on the shoulder. "You managed to catch Pokemon by yourself, they listen to you, and you knew when to call it quits. Hell, you actually gave them acceptable nicknames. Remember that Charizard Gramps brought in last semester? The one you tried to name 'Skullfuck'. Remember how he tried to eat you?"

"Heh, yeah," Red chuckled. "Oak had to buy me new clothes after that."

"You're improving, and it's undeniable, but that doesn't mean you should ever stop improving," Blue said. "You're not at my level and hey, who is? But maybe one day you'll get close."

"Yeah right!" Red said, fire igniting in his eyes once more. "I'm going to destroy you next time we fight."

"Then I look forward to the challenge," Blue said. "Steady on, Red."

"Well, thank you, man," Red said, chuckling. "I uh….I really needed that."

Blue grinned and held out a hand.

"Huh?" Red asked.

"C'mon dude, I won the match, didn't I?" Blue smirked. "Pay up."

* * *

"Whew," Miguel said, taking off his glasses and dabbing at his sweaty face. "I think I need to take a break. Sorta lost track of the time. Green, water bottle!"

Green giggled. "Deploying water bottle!"

She tossed the bottle, and Miguel caught it with a grin of thanks. Green watched in amazement while he downed it one go, dripping some on his dirty lab coat.

"Whoa," Green said, gaping at him. "That was incredible."

Miguel chuckled. "I may be a bit dehydrated."

Miguel had spent the day at this one site, first giving Green a quick explanation of how each of his tools worked, but then spending hours on end in his work while Green hurriedly took care of the needs he couldn't be bothered to handle on his own. Green could see why the archaeologist required someone to look after him.

"Maybe you should take a break for the day," Green said. "Find anything interesting?"

Miguel let out a disappointed click of his tongue and shook his head. "Well, only-holy shit."

"Huh?" Green asked, raising an eyebrow. "Aww man, are you having a stroke? Again?"

"Look behind you," Miguel whispered, pointing with a finger. Green turned, looking at the pudgy, pink Pokemon peering at them with wide eyes.

"A Clefairy," Miguel said, shaking his head. "In all my time working here, I've never even caught a glimpse of one!"

"Mine, mine, mine, mine!" Green shouted, hurling the Pokeball on her belt, releasing Gerald. "Go kick its ass!"

Clefairy shrieked and hauled tail down one of the passageways, the Nidoran hot on her trail. Green sprinted after them, shouting about 'claiming her destiny'.

Miguel managed two steps before giving up, sitting down on a rock. "Okay, there's no way I'm running after them, I'll actually have a stroke."

* * *

The Clefairy yelped as Gerald's feet slammed into her behind, and she face-planted on the cool cavern floor, the Nidoran grinning as he pinned her down. He glanced up at a very surprised looking woman, who stumbled back.

Green jogged over a second later. "Awesome job, Gerald. You'll be eating good tonight!"

She glanced up at the disgruntled woman who was now glaring at her. "Er...sorry about that."

The woman had long, hot pink, coiffed hair that seemed to defy gravity itself in how it pointed back. Green would have to ask what products she used. She was dressed in the same white outfit as James, which clashed pretty impressively with Green's own black Rocket getup.

"Who are you, one of Miguels'?" The woman, a good foot and half taller than her, snapped. "Why are you lollygagging about?"

"You must be Officer Jessie, ma'am!" Green said, quickly performing the same salute that she had seen many of the other members of Rocket Industries give James. "I'm actually just an intern working under Miguel."

"Ah," Jessie said, realization dawning on her features. "You're an applicant of the trainer program we instated." She managed a wide, fake grin that Green could tell was forced. "Excellent work catching something as rare as a Clefairy."

The Clefairy whimpered from where it was still pressed to the ground. Gerald gave it a kick for good measure.

"Thank you, ma'am!" Green said. It was so odd. James was easy to form a familiar relationship with but talking to Jessie was like talking like a drill sergeant. Green knew which she preferred. "I'm Green, from Pallet Town."

"Ah, that's where the old professor lives, yes?" Jessie said. "I trust you know him well?"

"Well he was my teacher, and he sent me off on my journey with a Pokedex," Green said, smiling fondly. "So yes, we were very close."

"You know, the old professor used to be quite involved with our organization," Jessie said with a sad sigh. "It's a shame that's no longer the case. We could certainly use his keen mind."

"Well, if you'd like to learn more about him, his grandson started his own Pokemon journey a few days ago as well," Green said. "He's even taking on the league challenge. So if you'd ever like to interview him…."

"Oh, wonderful!" Jessie said, forming a far more genuine, yet slightly unsettling smile. "Yes, we'd love to know how the old man is doing!"

"Well, er...I better get back to Miguel," Green said. "So sorry to bother you. Er...if I may ask, what are you working on at the lower levels?"

"We're doing research on the properties of moon stones," Jessie said, but Green felt the temperature of the room drop. "Something you need not concern yourself with. It is about time you got to Miguel, yes? Catch your Pokemon and get going."

"Right, of course," Green said, tossing a Pokeball down to the feebly stirring Clefairy. As the ball shook, Jessie turned and left, holding a walkie talkie to her ear and barking orders. The ball stopped, and Green smiled at her very first capture.

"Think I'll name you Luna," Green said with a small smile. She leaned down to scratch Gerald behind the ear, and the Nidoran smiled goofily.

She wasn't an idiot, whatever Rocket Industries was doing there, it likely was probably pretty shady, or at the very least something they didn't want publicized. She knew Professor Oak wasn't exactly a fan of their methods, though he never elaborated as to what caused the decay in his relationship with the company.

Still...James and Miguel had done a lot for her, and in their eyes she could see a genuine eagerness and love for their work. They certainly seemed to have good intentions.

She glanced at Gerald trotting by her side. Thanks to Rocket Industries, she had met the little Nidoran, who was proving to be quite a capable battler. The organization had helped her fulfill her dream, and had treated her with nothing but respect and kindness…

...so, if she was asked to cast a blind eye in return, she could do that.

* * *

"Okay, this was fun when I was at full health and we first entered the forest…" Jackie moaned, slapping away a Caterpie when it lunged at her. "But it's been hours. Where is the damn exit?"

"You're telling me," Red said. He was using Lucina, who had long since evolved into the cocoon that was Metapod, as a club, smacking away the bug types that tried to jump at him.

"You know, this is really rude and demeaning," Lucina said, casting angry eye back at Red. "Just because I can't really stop you using me like a baseball bat does not mean it's consensual."

"Less whining, more hardening!" Red snapped, before dropping her in exhaustion. "M-maybe...maybe we should stop for the night."

"No!" Rocket, who had been leading the pack, sprinted back to Red in indignation, leaving Jackie alone to fight off the never-ending hordes of bugs. "We need to get out of here tonight!"

"Rocket, why?" Lucina asked. "We're getting weaker over time, and the longer we stay exposed like this the higher the risk of one of us getting seriously hurt!"

"Besides, I can barely see a foot in front of us," Red said. "She's right, Rocket. It's too dangerous."

"I-I can light up a path!" Rocket protested. "C'mon, we can do this!"

"Seriously, what is it with you and this forest?" Red asked. "You've been rushing us through here the entire time!"

"I...I just hate bug types, man," Rocket said, shifting uncomfortably. "And look, who knows what might-"

"AHHHHH!"

"Jackie!" Red cried, sprinting forwards. The Mankey was clutching her arm and whimpering in pain. Judging by the snickering Weedle with blood dripping down its stinger, it had managed a lucky venomous strike.

"Throw me!" Lucina shouted, and Red nodded, throwing her like a football. She slammed into the Weedle, knocking it out instantly.

"Aaaand now we're surrounded," Rocket growled, watching the bug type leer at them from the trees and bushes, now even bolder upon sensing victory. "Shit."

"Not to worry, Rocket, I have an idea," Red said with a wicked grin. "Lucina, shoot some string at me!"

The Metapod jerked up, shooting a thread of webbing that Red caught. Yanking her towards him, Red spun Lucina around like a pair of nun-chucks, getting into a fighting stance.

"Ever notice how you come across someone once in a while that you shouldn't have effed with? Well that's me!" Red said, before he accidentally slammed Lucina against his head and he collapsed.

"Yeah, that's about right," Rocket said with a sigh.

"Owww, god, it's so painful!" Jackie moaned, clutching her arm. "I'd vomit, but I don't even have a mouth!"

"Uh...Rocket….I think it may be up to you," Lucina said to the Pikachu, who groaned.

"Well, nothing else for it," Rocket grumbled. "Better seeing them than dying I guess."

With a shout of effort, Rocket launched a thundershock in the air, lighting up the night. The move seemed to confuse the bug types, but after a moment they lunged at the opening the Pikachu had given them.

"Rocket, what the hell was that for?" Red screamed.

"Get down!" Rocket roared in response.

Red felt a hum in the air, and he pounced on Jackie, shielding her from the lightning that lit up the night once more, scattering the bugs attacking them. Loud cries of "pika!" shouted in unison as the electric mice jumped from tree to tree, all firing off attacks that scorched the earth around the crouching Red and his Pokemon. By the time they let up, no evidence stood that the bugs had ever been there. Red and his Pokemon rose to face the dozens of Pikachu now staring at them from the trees, their red cheeks glowing from the sparkling electricity.

"Um...Rocket, what?" Red asked.

"Yeah, we have a place to crash for the night," Rocket said, head in his hands. "Meet my family, Red."

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	8. Meeting the parents!

"Susan, use double kick!"

The Nidorina, a blue, quadruped Pokemon with spikes that lined her back and vicious red eyes, sprinted across the rocky floor that was the Pewter city gym, beelining towards a massive Pokemon resembling rocks that had formed into a towering snake, complete with a sharp horn, narrowed eyes, a myriad of battle scars.

The trainer calling out the order was a stout man with clothes that befit a hiker, with boots, worn pants, a dusty jacket, and a bucket hat to even further exercise the point of his appearance. He sported a scraggly beard and his eyes twinkled in contrast to his gruff appearance. Despite the intensity of what one would expect from a gym battle, he was wearing a grin, and he was practically trembling with excitement.

The trainer he was battling couldn't be more different. For one, he certainly wasn't smiling. Where the hiker was vast, he was lean and muscular, as evidenced by his bare, ripped chest. The hiker was excited and passionate and always moving, yet this trainer stood firm and resolute, like the very rocks he kept proudly in his gym. His hair was a shock of brown, and his eyes were unfailingly narrowed.

He was Brock, the Pewter City gym leader, one of the most capable trainers in all of the Kanto region.

"Samson, rock tomb!" He called, his arms folded. Samson, an Onix that was so tall he nearly bumped the ceiling, let out a roar that shook the entire gym. Opening his mouth and jutting forward, he sent a volley of rocks hurtling toward the approaching Nidorina.

"Dammit, push through, Susan!" The hiker cried, looking on in horror at the sheer strength of the attack.

With a shriek of effort, the Nidorina kicked, crushed, and dodged the falling rocks, and for a few moments she could fight against Brock's overwhelming offensive, but it wasn't for long, and she was pulled down under the weight of a few particularly large boulders.

The hiker cursed as Samson loomed over the rocks that now trapped Susan, realizing that his opponent had succeeded at more than merely landing a hit. "GET OUT OF THERE!"

"Tackle," Brock said, and Samson pounced. Just as Susan pushed away one of the rocks trapping her, the Onix crashed into her, dragging the Nidorina with him as he burrowed into the ground. After a few excruciating moments for the hiker, in which he tried desperately and fruitlessly to order Susan to fight, Samson burst out of the ground, carrying his unconscious opponent with his tail. The hiker let out a sigh and returned her to her Pokeball.

"All right, all right!" The hiker said, raising his hands in surrender. "I know when to quit."

A small smile played on Brock's lips, and he moved to stroke Samson's back in thanks. "You know, I am aware you have two other Pokemon, Kenny. I still don't understand why you don't use a full team."

"Bah, we both know it'd be pointless," Kenny snorted. "And I'm not one to show my entire hand. But, wow, that little Onix of yours really grew up, eh?"

"First ever battle as an official gym Pokemon," Brock confirmed. "He did well. Goliath will be proud."

"HA! Tell the big brute I said hello!" Kenny chuckled. "So, I was the first trainer of the season to battle you again, eh?"

"Of course," Brock said, recalling Samson into his Pokeball. "You've been my first challenger for eight years, I'd never not book you first."

"Well, I'm thinking this one might be the last," Kenny said, and the two made their way out of the gym and into the bright Pewter sunlight. "I started out getting my ass kicked by your star Pokemon, and now I'm getting my ass kicked by his son. I've been at it too long."

"Well, what'll you do now?" Brock asked. "Retire?"

"I can't help it, Brock. This passion I have for watching Pokemon battles-even if I'm not cut out for it anymore as a trainer, I want to help someone along on their journey. Someone, a bit younger than me mind you, that can really follow it through and make it to the league."

"Well, if there's someone likely to follow through, it'll be Blue Oak," Brock said. "Obviously he's connected to a Dragonite of a man, and his exam scores were damn near record breaking. Blue's going far, and I'm having a match with him in three days."

"Bah, we all know that kid's going somewhere," Kenny said. "I'm talking about someone like me. Someone who's gotta work for it. Someone I can help discover their potential. I don't want to be a glorified hype man for a prodigy."

"Fair enough," Brock said. "So, you'll be sticking around for my early season match-ups? May be dull, most will be pretty green."

"I know what I'm doing," Kenny said with a chuckle. "What can I expect for dinner tonight? What are the kids demanding this time?"

Brock clenched a fist. "They just want to eat out! Kids never appreciate home cooked meals! It's so disrespectful to the art!"

"Hah!" Kenny clapped as he doubled over, laughing at his old friends' reaction. "I'll enjoy the double cheeseburger, then."

* * *

The home of the Pikachus were, without exaggeration, a paradise, quite a long way away from the main Viridian Forest pathway. They lived in actual tree houses that were well hidden, covered by vines and branches so that curious travelers would merely see ordinary foliage. In truth there was a community of the Pikachu, who spend their days foraging for fruit and getting into sparring matches with one another, as evidenced by the scorch marks everywhere.

"So, you have to tell us the story of how you two met!" A Pikachu, Rocket's mother, gushed, as they sat down the little cabin that the Pikachus had been kind enough to allow Red and his team to crash at. Jackie had been taken away to be treated by some of the clan's doctors, which left Red, Lucina, and a morbidly embarrassed Rocket to talk with the Pikachu's parents. "It's so rare that a human is granted the honor of speaking with us, so it must be quite a good one!"

"Oh, haha, not really!" Red said, giggling. "Rocket just made a mis-"

"-Red here is a conservationist!" Rocket interrupted, zapping the trainer with his tail and cutting him off. "Savior of the planet, builder of homes for displaced Pokemon, bane of poachers, etc. He's uh….very honorable."

"And the conservationist wants to be a Pokemon trainer?" Rocket's dad, an older, skinnier Pikachu said in disbelief. "Purveyor of dog fights that could potentially lead to our deaths?"

"Uhh….he's more of a 'natural disaster' kind of guy," Rocket said, in an attempt to save face. "But he loves being one with Pokemon, and he's an excellent battler. We haven't lost a fight yet!"

Lucina, still not understanding what exactly was going on with the Pikachu, cut in. "Rocket, we've never even won a-"

"Read the room!" Rocket hissed, turning around to snarl at the Metapod. His parents exchanged a glance and his mom began to giggle a little, while his dad padded over to the trainer Rocket was so eagerly serenading.

"Rocket, why don't you go on a walk and catch up with your mother," Rocket's father said, gesturing with his tail to the proverbial door. "I'm going to have the 'talk' with this trainer of yours."

Rocket threw an alarmed look to Red. "I uh... I think I'll stick around here actually."

"Oh, they'll be fine, your father's all talk." His mother moved over to stroke the back of his head. "Besides, it's been so long I just want to know if you've been doing well."

Rocket's guarded expression softened at his mother's smile, and he nodded. "All right. Red….you good?"

"Yeah, dude!" Red said, giving a thumbs' up. "Your parents are awesome. Can we order a pizza?"

"Okay, I know we're more sentient than we let on," Rocket said, turning to leave with his mother. "But we're still Pokemon."

"What's pizza?" Lucina whispered.

* * *

Rocket's mother knew him well, and it was why she was leading them down his favorite trail down Viridian Forest, a small, narrow pass along a sizable river. Typically when one walked through Viridian Forest they were plagued by the buzzes and cries of bug Pokemon, but the river's roar drowned everything out. It was really the one thing he missed about the forest during his journey.

"So, wait?" Rocket's mom said. "All they had to do to avoid having their faces melted is not look directly at the arc of the covenant? If that was inevitable the second they looked at it, would Indiana Jones even need to be in the movie?"

"Uhh….wait, did he?" Rocket said, pausing a moment to think. "Huh, I guess he kinda made everything worse just by helping the Nazis find it. Still a really cool movie, though."

"I will never understand your fascination for humans," his mother said, nudging at her son playfully. "What is your new trainer name now? Missile?"

"Aww….that sounds so much cooler!" Rocket shouted, snapping a finger. "I'm just Rocket."

"Trust me, they're both the same to me," his mother said, rolling her eyes and chuckling a little at Rocket's odd behavior.

They walked along the river until it emptied into a small pool, the pool that Rocket always wanted to play in as a child but couldn't due to his natural electric powers. Even now he looked at it longingly, but his mother nudged him, and they sat down on the grass.

"Rocket, why did you come back?" his mother asked, in that soft yet penetrating way she always did. "Are you staying? Did you rope this "trainer" of yours so you wouldn't have to feel embarrassed?"

"No," Rocket said, beginning to rip up the grass in his anxiety until his mother reached down to stop him. "Red really caught me, and I do want to join him on his journey. I feel like I have to."

"You have to," Rocket's mother repeated.

"Mom, I loved living here, but...this life of contentment, of the same systematic routine every damn day…" Rocket let out a shaky sigh. "And we all know I'm the runt of the clan, so I was dredged even deeper in the monotony. I've gotten the chance to experience something new, and in my travels I got to see some amazing stuff. I may come back one day, but it'll be because of the choice I've made after seeing a brand new world. I need to have that choice."

"You said as much the first time you left," Rocket's mother said. "And I understand. What I don't get, however, is why, two years later, you've returned as a trainers' Pokemon. Why would you risk yourself like this?"

"Yeah, this uh….this was all an accident," Rocket said, his ears drooping sheepishly. "But still, he's my lens into the human world! And I'm getting way tougher."

"You know I support you, er….Rocket," his mother winced as she said it, as if the word burned her tongue. "But couldn't you find another trainer? This one seems….."

"Questionable?" Rocket asked.

"Dumb as a sack of bricks," his mother finished. "I've seen enough battles from the bug catchers in this forest to know that a Pokemons' life is in the hands of its trainer. You know how our clan feels about trainers, how we condemn them and shy away from the rest of the world, and yet you want to join this novice….?"

"Hey, I honestly believe he has potential," Rocket said. "When you guys fried those bugs it was his reflex to shield his Mankey with his body. He's got it where it counts, and it's something I've learned during our time together."

"All right, I trust you," she gave Rocket a kiss on the cheek. "But if something happens, I want you out of there, okay?"

"Yes, mom," Rocket said, chuckling. "I'm not going to get myself killed out there."

* * *

"These are important questions you need to answer! Will you take care of him, provide for him? And don't you dare even consider keeping him out too late!" Rocket's dad was pacing back and forth, while Red and his two Pokemon sat on his makeshift bed and listened to him ramble. "You better have the best of intentions, young man. I expect you to treat my son with respect and love."

"Okay, sorry to interrupt," Red said, flinching when the old Pikachu glared at him. "But, I want to make it clear that I'm training your son and taking him on my Pokemon journey, not marrying him."

"Hey, to speak in my trainers' defense, he'd never allow us to get hurt," Jackie said, before she accidentally moved her injured shoulder and hissed in pain. She had been escorted to the cabin after having her arm bandaged.

"Riiiight," Rocket's father said, before shaking his attention from the Mankey to the fidgety trainer. "You better know what you're doing out there, son."

"Of course, I know what I'm doing," Red said, offended. "It's been ages since our journey started, and we've had no trouble at all in our journey thus far."

"Yes, and when you were nearly mauled by bug types, it was rehearsed." The Pikachu's ears drooped. "Look, my son isn't the best fighter. And in fact, you'll find far better combatants here in our clan. What if we made a deal? Our clan's best fighter can join you so our son doesn't have to be put at risk."

Red thought for a moment, and for a split second, he was tempted. But his hesitation did not last longer than a few moments. "Sir, that would be entirely up to your son. He may not be the most powerful Pikachu in the world, but without him I wouldn't even be on my journey in the first place. That means so much more to me than strength. So, as long as he'll have me, I'll have him. We started this journey together, and we'll finish it together too."

"I see," Rocket's dad said, and the old Pikachu took a moment to size up the trainer, maybe for the first time since they'd met. After a moment he nodded.

"Well, you certainly seem to care about him. That and keeping him safe is all I can ask of you. Have a nice night." The Pikachu padded out, leaving Red, Lucina, and Jackie speechless in his wake.

"Okay, I know we live in a world with horrifying monsters," Red said, rubbing the bridge of his nose and shuddering a little. "But there's nothing scarier than parents."

"Oh, agreed," Lucina said, her stiff body managing to tremble a little.

"Amen," Jackie said, nodding her head fiercely.

"But, was I right not to give him an out?" Red asked, flopping on his makeshift bed, which, considering it was made of bark with a blanket of leaves, was surprisingly comfortable. "I don't want to get him hurt, and he's already been so helpful as is…."

"You made the right call!" Jackie chirped, giving her trainer a little salute. "I've only known you for a day and a half, but I can already tell how close the bond between you two is. I know he's just as eager to be here as the rest of us!"

"Speak for yourself," Lucina drawled. "Red, you have no reason to feel guilty either way, because you gave him a choice. We'll see how much he wants to journey with us tomorrow."

"I guess you're right," Red said with a little yawn. "Thanks, girls. Uh….you two want to travel with me, right?"

"Are you kidding? This so beats being stuck by myself outside Viridian," Jackie said, hopping on the bed to snuggle with her trainer. Red grinned and stroked her fur as she clung to him like, well… a monkey.

"Look, I won't deny it; I hate all the fighting you make me do," Lucina said, hopping up to his other side. "But, look at me now? I may actually end up a Butterfree under your guidance, and the ability to fly….that's something worth all of this, and I'll be forever grateful if you get me there."

She wasn't as affectionate nor as clingy as Jackie, but she sidled up to Red and leaned against his other arm. Settling down, Red pulled them both close.

"Thank, ladies," Red said. "Glad to know we're all in this together. Because the day will come soon when we're all over the news, and tales about our exploits reach as far as Cinnabar."

"Shhh…" Lucina mumbled. "I'm trying to sleep."

* * *

The next morning, the Pikachus took Red to that same spring Rocket loved, and he was quick to strip off his clothes and splash around with Jackie, while Rocket and Lucina laid lazily on the ground to watch them.

"Do you ever take off that hat?" Rocket asked.

"Hey, I like this hat!" Red said, patting it. "It helps me stay close to my mentor."

"And that would be?" Rocket asked.

"The legendary Red, of course!" Red said. "The man who obliterated his enemies with his trusty Charizard, all without uttering a single word. He's what I aspire to be."

"Well, you could get the 'without uttering a single word' thing down now!" Lucina said with mock enthusiasm. "I'm trying to nap."

"You're always trying to nap," Red said, giving her an accusatory glare.

"Because I'm a cocoon!" The Metapod cried. "We're supposed to get a lot of rest, not be used to bludgeon defenseless Pidgeys."

"I apologized for that-AUGH!" Red cried as Jackie sent a particularly powerful wave slapping against his back, soaking his hat.

"Sneak attack!" Jackie giggled.

"That's it, you're gonna get it," Red growled, lunging for the monkey, but she flipped out of his reach and kicked him down into the water, giggling maniacally as she pinned him beneath the rippling waves, to Rocket and Lucina's chagrin.

"Come on, Rocket," Jackie said, pushing Red's head below the water, ignoring the bubbles he was emitting. "The water is great!"

"Yeah!" Red gasped as he briefly managed to push himself out of her grip with a gasp. "We're having the time of our lives!"

"As fun as joining Jackie in trying to drown you would be." Rocket winced as Jackie pushed her trainers' head under the water again. "I get in there, we're all going to die."

"Buzz-BLUB-BLUB-BLUB-kill…." Red managed to force out in between attempts to escape his Mankey's hold..

"C'mon, Rocket, we can take it!" Jackie said. "Easily."

"No, you can't," Rocket's father drawled as he and Rocket's mother walked over to where the little party was playing. "You'll both be fried and stink up the forest. But still, go ahead and try; it'd make my day a little brighter."

"Now, dear," Rocket's mother chided, slapping him with her tail. "Please don't mind him, he just hasn't had his coffee this morning."

"Wait." Jackie's grip loosened, and Red managed to splash out of the water and shake out the droplets out of his hair. He jammed his now thoroughly soaked cap on his head. "Pokemon drink coffee?"

"Of course, we drink coffee, it's coffee," Rocket's father said, shaking his head at Red's ignorance. "Now get the hell outta there so I can give you the directions out of this damn forest."

"Hold on, sir, I have a question for your son," Red said, and Rocket's ears perked up. The trainer knelt down, so he was eye level with the Pikachu.

"I asked the girls this question and now I'm going to ask you," Red said, staring at his first Pokemon. "I see you have a life here, and it's not something I ever considered when I thought about Pokemon. Hell, it's probably why they hated me when I was a kid. You have lovely parents and a lovely clan, and by asking you to journey with me I'm asking for you to abandon that and potentially get yourself hurt. So I'm not going expect you to leave. Jackie, Lucina, and I are heading to Pewter, but it's entirely up to-"

"Say no more, kid," Rocket said, bopping him on the head with his signature smirk. "We have a deal, remember? I get you to a place where you can continue your journey without me, and then I get to watch the movie of my dreams."

Rocket's parents shared a small, bittersweet smile as Rocket scurried up Red's chest. "You two be safe," Rocket's mother said.

"Ahh yeah, I missed this," Rocket said, settling into his favorite spot on Red's shoulder. "Together we're going far, Red. Onward?"

"Okay, I hate to ruin the moment." Red winced as the Pikachu's claws scratched his bare skin. "But you need to get down so I can put on clothes."

"You really do suck the fun out of everything," Rocket said with a sad little sigh, hopping down again.

Rocket's father cleared his throat, getting Red's attention as the young trainer pulled on his pants. "You'll want to keep the sun on your left shoulder. When you hit Scyther's rock, my son will know where to go from there."

"Thank you, sir!" Red said, as his shirt went over his shoulders. "Ready to get going, guys?"

"You're gonna catch a cold, dude," Rocket said with a little sigh as Red returned Jackie and Lucina to their Pokeballs. "Maybe dry your hair?"

"Nonsense!" Red said, marching forward in a strut, a silent challenge to anyone in the forest. "I never get sick!"

* * *

Professor Samuel Oak leaned back in his chair, grimacing at the unread emails sent from his old 'friend', Petrel. He was getting tired of deleting them.

Petrel, an oily, calculating snake of a man had been promoted around the time Oak had announced that he was cutting ties with Rocket Industries. His appearance was well kept, but his mannerisms were as greasy as could be. In truth, Rocket Industries employing men like him were what alienated the old professor from the company, and he had been happy to escape their shady business practices.

Unfortunately, now they'd been trying to drag him back in again.

The phone call that interrupted his thoughts was a welcome distraction, and he picked it up with an eagerness he certainly would not have otherwise.

"This is Samuel Oak speaking. How may I help you?"

"I always did prefer your other name. Much more pizzazz, yes? I'll admit I was quite a fan of yours back in your battling days, indeed!"

Any eagerness Oak had at the prospect of this conversation popped like a balloon. His easy smile became fixed. "Officer Looker."

"Ah, you are not happy to hear from me."

"Well, I won't deny that you tend to preface catastrophe," Oak said, debating whether he should hang up now. Perhaps this conversation wouldn't be too painful, as long as the officer didn't want to talk about-

"Sonezaki spilled the beans. Er….that is the expression, yes?"

"So, you finally managed to pressure Bill into talking," Oak said, feeling a sort of calm wash over him at the thought. "What did you learn?"

"Rocket Industries' involvement in the war, and the monster you created to end it," the voice replied, without any hesitation at all. Oak struggled to keep his breath in control. "It's impressive how you managed to keep a being capable of such destruction hidden for so long."

"I was not involved in project 2.0's creation," Professor Oak snapped. "I spearheaded the initial research team studying the creature Rocket cloned it from, but after the initial stages of Kanto's revolution I was far too busy on the front lines. In fact, I argued against the idea, and was only aware of the progress that had been made on the project when it was unleashed against the Johtians in the Battle of Vermilion."

"Bill said as much, yes," Looker replied. "But you were present for Rocket Industries' conception, and you accepted the ultimatum the monster imposed on you and the few who knew of its existence. Whether you're a war criminal or not, it is imperative that you divulge anything you can. Bill was quite young at the time so he wasn't able give us the full story."

"I'm not sure what you think my motives were in hiding project 2.0's existence, but it certainly was not to save my own neck," Oak said, his hand trembling on the phone. "If you knew what was created and what it is capable of, you would understand that it is far, far beyond us, and we are at its mercy. Do you know why despite losing so many to it, the people of Johto have no idea what hit them? No idea what stole away what should have been an easy victory?"

Officer Looker didn't respond.

"Because after it struck and obliterated the Johtian offensive, it wiped the minds of every man, woman, and child within thousands of miles. Without wasting a fraction of effort. Then it demanded us its own request, one simple ultimatum to which it would lay waste to Kanto if we denied. All it wanted was to be left alone. And so for twenty years we've let it be, to no incident."

"...You may be willing to give 2.0 it's peace, but we of the international police are becoming increasingly sure that Rocket Industries does not share those same sentiments. They wear those tacky yet identical outfits, they attack routes and forests in groups, catching massive counts of Pokemon at a time, and as their number grows the crime rate increases as well. They speak of scientifically "progressing", but they do not progress for progressions' sake.. There is an obvious endgame to their aspirations, and that endgame involves project 2.0."

As the man had been talking, Oak was lighting a cigarette, a shame, as he had quit smoking years before. He took a moment to close his eyes and allow the nicotine to sooth him, before he finally gave his response.

"Whether you're right or not, Rocket Industries is infallible. You have no evidence, and any attempt to speak against them is quickly stomped upon. Your case is hopeless."

"We're aware of the influence Rocket has on Kanto, and I've come to the conclusion that the by-the-book method won't get us anywhere," Looker said. "We need to adapt. And we require your help."

"Pardon?" Oak asked, and he began to cough at the smoke he had accidentally inhaled.

"Excuse you. You're necessary, Professor, because Rocket Industries still desires your work. Cooperate with them, and you'll find yourself privy to their intentions. If necessary, we can tear apart the company from the inside out." Oak couldn't help but seethe at this international police officer's tone. That same tone that many who were in power had. If their good little chess pieces did exactly as they said, they could win the 'game'.

"No," Oak said, his jaw set tight. "I'm not going to be used as a tool-not again. And I certainly won't become caught in a power struggle that could wreak havoc on the region that I love. Find another pawn."

"It's a shame…" Looker said. "We have a plan 'B', but we really didn't want to involve your grandson."

Oak dropped his cigarette. "No….I...you wouldn't…"

"We don't have much of a choice, yes?"

"You don't need to get anyone else involved in this," Oak said. "There were others with the same knowledge I had. Hell, you're in contact with Bill. He could-"

"Sonezaki's been outspoken against Rocket Industries on social media and they've slandered him in return. They're more likely to silence him than recruit him. We'll give you one more chance to cooperate. Join with us in spying on Rocket Industries or I'll give your grandson a call right now."

"H-he won't listen," Oak said, trying to hold back from sobbing. "He's not going to-"

Looker ended the call.

With a shout of rage, Oak threw his telephone across the room and watched in savage satisfaction as it broke apart when it hit a wall. He took several deep breaths before letting out a weak moan, his face falling into his hands.

"Please, Blue, for the love of Mew," the old man whispered. "Don't do anything stupid."

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's The Iron Knight and Fuzzboy's For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	9. The First Partnership

"You're an idiot."

"I'm telling you, it's The BerenSTEIN Bears, Rocket!"

"And I'm telling you, you're an idiot! It's BerenSTAIN Bears, and you're going to look so dumb when you look it up."

"How would you even know? You can't read or write, you dumb rodent!"

"That doesn't mean I don't understand pronunciation, dipshit!"

Red and Rocket were bickering as usual as they finally began to approach their destination of Pewter, evidenced by the sparser trees and the now rocky and hard terrain. Viridian forest was so lush and full of green, the brown and rough ground almost felt like a wasteland by comparison. Now they were climbing up a particularly steep slope almost comparable to a small mountain, which didn't exactly improve neither trainer nor Pokemons' moods.

"Whatever. The second we get to Pewter, I'll prove you wrong at the Pokemon Center," Red said, grunting as he pulled himself up a ledge. Rocket jumped off his shoulder to give him a hand, but Red nearly lost his grip when he let out a loud sneeze-right at the Pikachu.

"Oh Arceus….I want to drop you so bad…" Rocket moaned, wiping down his fur with a tail.

"H-hey I'm sorry," Red said through a few sniffles. "I can't exactly cover my nose, dangling off a cliff like this."

"Kid, I told you that you'd catch a cold," Rocket grumbled, as Red finally managed to pull himself over the ledge and rolled onto his back. "Beginning to realize this is a theme? Me being always right and you being always wrong?"

"S-shut up, I'm a perfect being," Red said, wiping his nose. Rocket simply rolled his eyes, hopping up on a few of the tall, jagged rocks to get a better view of their surroundings.

"All right, kid, get off your ass. I got some good news," Rocket said, turning to grin at his trainer. 'We're here."

Forgetting his exhaustion immediately, Red jumped up beside his Pikachu. In the valley below them stood the first sign of human settlement since Viridian City. It was a bit small and very rustic, but at this point after sleeping in the woods, he'd take anything with a clean bed.

"This place sure has a thing for rocks, huh," Red said, sliding down the slope alongside his Pikachu. "Does every city have a gimmick?"

"Oh like you wouldn't believe," Rocket said, shaking his head.

* * *

The population in Pewter was a bit more scattered than in Viridian, as though there was something the city itself knew that the travelers didn't. After lunch and a nice, long, satisfying shower at the Pokemon Center, Red and Rocket decided to do a little sightseeing. Still, Red had gotten a bit more used to cities since Viridian, and there didn't seem much to do if you weren't interested in archaeology.

"Maybe we could check out the museum," Red suggested, having spread out a map on an empty bench. "How come no one's around anyway? It's a little creepy."

"It's gym season, dude," Rocket said. "No doubt everyone's watching Brock mop the floor with newbie trainers."

"Brock?"

"Regional gym leader," Rocket explained. "Expert in rock types and he's on the younger side. I'm sure if we used Jackie, we'd-"

"Red!"

Something slammed into Red from behind, causing Red to stumble and Rocket to fly off his shoulders. Two legs locked around his neck and the momentum the mysterious person had gained caused her to swing over his head. The attacker found herself eye to eye with Red, upside down.

Yellow grinned. "Hi."

"What are you doing here?" Red said, grinning as well as he lifted her up from his shoulders and held her up in front of her. "I swear, you get shorter every time I see you."

"Rude!" Yellow said, sticking out her tongue. "To think I was so excited to see you."

"Ah, Red!" an older voice said as Red set Yellow down. Professor Oak grinned at a grumbling Rocket and knelt down to scratch him behind his ear. "And hello there, little one."

"Seriously, Gramps, what are you two doing here?" Red asked. "Is this my welcoming parade?"

"You know I have never met someone with such a measure of self importance in my life," Oak said, shaking his head in wonder. "In actuality, my grandson's first gym battle was scheduled for today, and I wouldn't miss it for the world. I also believe in firsthand experience for my aspiring trainers. Jack? John? Where are you two? We found Red!"

Two identical young men, both of muscular builds and matching crew cuts, marched over from the shop they had been perusing. Even their grouchy expressions were parallel.

"Oh look, it's the kid who got to start his journey before us with way worse grades!" John (presumably) snapped. "That's not fair, right Jack?"

"You're goddamn right it isn't fair, John!" Jack (that settles it) snapped.

"Sweet, merciful, space Jesus, was it really important to introduce these two as characters?" Red asked the author. "All they do is inflate the narrative."

"Screw you," the author replied. "It's a funny bit, and it's important world building!"

"According to my grandson's twitter account, he's 'mopping the floor' with the preliminaries," Oak said, clearing his throat to change the subject from the now shattered fourth wall. "We'd best hurry if we want to make it before his match with Brock."

"Uggggh, but I hate that guy," Red said. "I don't wanna see him be all smug."

"C'mon Red, I want to hear about your journey!" Yellow said, pointing to the two Pokeballs on his belt. "You look like you're starting to put a team together, and Rocket looks way stronger?"

A flattered Rocket looked away with an exaggerated smile, mockingly pretending to be embarrassed. Red rolled his eyes at the display.

"Hell yeah, I'm putting a team together," Red said, gesturing to his Pokeballs. "I caught two Pokemon!"

"Oh?" Oak said, raising an eyebrow. "Blue told me he caught ten different kinds."

"Oh well, bully for Blue," Red grumbled.

The Pokemon gym, unlike the rest of the city, was full of cheering residents, eager for a fight. One typically would be concerned enough by the large crowd that they wouldn't be able to squeeze into the building, but a quick look at Professor Oak's smiling face was enough for the guards to usher them into the gym.

"I'm not one to exaggerate my achievements, or take advantage of them in social situations," Oak said lowly to Yellow, who was grinning up at him. "But I won't deny sometimes it's just too convenient."

The group settled into the large crowd gathered around the ring where the preliminaries took place, and Red caught a quick sight of his rival's signature spiky hair and a Sandshrew bringing down a Rhyhorn. The crowd jeered, and announcer barked that Blue Oak would moving on to a final match with Brock. Professor Oak led his students up to the stands, where seats were reserved for the family and friends of the two contenders.

"Blue!" Oak called, cupping his hands to his mouth. "Good luck!"

Blue, who was leaning down to spray a healing potion on his Sandshrew, glanced up at Oak, Yellow, Jack, and John, who were waving at him. He grinned and gave them a wink. He then noticed Red, who mimed casting a fishing rod to 'reel' up his middle finger. Blue returned the gesture with interest.

"Good lord he's flipping the bird on what will be potentially national television," Oak said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You do know that any action you two take reflect on me as a-"

He was hushed by a sudden roar from the crowd as Brock finally climbed into the ring, shirtless as usual. His siblings, a cluster of children nearly identical to him in facial features began to start a chant, all the louder considering they too were in reserved seats.

"Welcome, challenger!" Anyone once cheering suddenly silenced when Brock spoke, and despite the lack of microphone his voice rang throughout the gym. "I'll cut to the chase. You will be allowed six Pokemon to use in battle, while I'll only be using one, and you may switch them out whenever you wish. The match will come to an end with when one sides' team is unable to battle, or if either of us opt to surrender."

"I understand," Blue said, and his Sandshrew grinned beside him, showing the gym leader her claws. "But I'll only be needing this one to beat you."

Brock chuckled a little. "Your confidence does you credit. Let's hope it's not unfounded. Remember the stakes and danger of our match. By putting your Pokemon on the field of battle you put them at risk, and that goes for me as well."

"Trust me, we're both aware," Blue said. The way he fingered the gem on his necklace betrayed a bit of anxiety. "And we're ready when you are."

The crowd broke out cheering again, taking up the chant that Brock's siblings had started, growing in volume by the second.

"I can see I'm not exactly the popular choice, eh?" Blue said, chuckling a little.

"Well, Pewter's a small city," Brock shrugged. "I know a lot of the people here on a first name basis. I hope it won't distract you?"

"You can do it, Blue!" Yellow called. "Don't let anyone get to you!"

"Do it, bro!" Jack and John cried in unison.

"Beat his ass, Brock!" Red yelled.

Oak slapped him upside the head. "Will you stop that?"

A heavy-set man in a hiker's getup sitting next to the trainer laughed at the display. "Got a bit of a grudge there?"

"Yeah, Blue's just a big show off that loves stealing my thunder," Red mumbled. "Someone needs to put him in his place."

"Well, I can certainly relate to being envious of someone with talent," the hiker said with a loud guffaw. "Names' Kenny."

"Uhh….Red," Red said, shaking the older man's hand. "Nice to meet you as well."

"Ah...like the legend himself," Kenny said with a nod. "Recognized the outfit."

"Well, I plan to be a legend myself someday," Red said, pointing to a snoozing Rocket in Yellow's arms. "That's my partner Pokemon. I started up from Pallet as well."

Kenny's response was cut off when Brock unclipped a Pokeball from his belt, to the roaring approval of the crowd.

"Abraham, show them our rock-hard determination!" The gym leader barked, and from the ball emerged a massive boulder with gruff features and four arms. Upon seeing his opponent, the Graveler flashed as smirk and began to crack his knuckles.

"Carolyn, scrap him like the rest," Blue ordered, and the Sandshrew, despite the ferocity of her much bigger opponent, scurried forward with gusto.

"Aww, he's not using an Onix?" Red asked, put out. "It's Brock's signature dude."

"Well, that Sandshrew is a small opponent, very tough for an Onix to see, much less fight. Abraham here is way more suited for brawls like these," Kenny explained.

"You sure do know a lot about Brock," Red said, giving Kenny a curious look.

"Ha, well I've been sparring with him for years," Kenny said, as the match officially began and the Pokemon began to launch their attacks. "I'd like to think I know Brock's strategies down pat."

"Abraham, rock throw!" Brock ordered. "Let's test the waters."

"Close the distance quick!" Blue shot back. "Slash!"

The Graveler took a few steps, tossing boulders from his hands toward Carolyn, who curled up into a rolling ball. Rolling far faster than if she was running, the Sandshrew swerved this way and that, avoiding the rocks with ease. Launching herself in the air, she uncurled herself and descended upon Abraham, claws at the ready.

Abraham raised his arms in defense and Carolyn's claws slashed and scratched against them, to no effect against his rocky exterior. Abraham's grin stretched even wider.

"Damn," Blue growled.

"Let her have it, Abraham!" Brock barked, arms folded.

"Dodge his blows and gain some distance!" Blue countered.

Carolyn managed to twirl in the air to avoid the first two of the Graveler's four arms, but the third caught her stomach and the fourth slammed into her head with enough force to snap it back, the Sandshrew hitting the ground rolling.

"Recover quickly," Blue ordered, sure to keep his voice even. "Don't let him keep his momentum!"

"Magnitude!" Brock said.

The Sandshrew managed to land in a slide out of her roll. She dove to the side, and Abraham's magnitude cracked the ground where she had been standing less than a moment before. Carolyn, landing safely on her feet, took a deep breath of relief and crouched into a fighting stance.

"Impressive, working on your Pokemons' footwork like that," Brock said, nodding a little at his opponents' skill. "Not a very common priority for beginners."

"Yeah, well, I figured that when my opponent specializes in types often capable of manipulating the earth itself, keeping balance is pretty important," Blue said. "That said, I think you're impressive as well. Your Graveler is far faster than I would have expected from its species."

"I've found it does tend to trip up opponents," Brock said. "But speaking of unexpected speed, using your Sandshrew's rolling ability to circumvent its naturally slow gait is pretty remarkable. You're every bit the trainer that's been hyped up."

"Can you two nerds stop making out and start killing each other already?" Red roared. "We came here for a fight!"

"This kid is amazing," Kenny said to an annoyed Professor Oak. "He's like a cartoon character. I want to travel the world with him."

"Oh, he's amusing for the first five minutes," Oak said, rolling his eyes. "After that you begin to want to strangle him."

"Guys, I'm right here," Red muttered.

Chuckling at the exchange, Blue shook his head. "I guess I'll follow through with the moron in the peanut gallery's advice-"

"Hey, screw you, dude!"

"-and bring out the big guns," Blue said. "Carolyn, use dig!"

The Sandshrew burrowed into the ground of the ring, leaving a large hole in her wake.

"Come now, surely you could've seen this coming?" Brock asked, disappointed. "Magnitude, Abraham! Put more power into it this time!"

With a roar of effort, Abraham slammed all four fists into the floor, and with a powerful rumble the earth beneath Blue exploded. Carolyn shrieked as she was thrown through the air, and this time she wasn't able to stick the landing.

"You had to know that magnitude would do damage while she was beneath the ground," Brock said. "Bad mistake, Oak. It'll cost you."

"I'll admit I expected I'd be able to power through it," Blue said, biting his lip. "You okay, Carolyn?"

Carolyn managed a yelp of assent as she rose to her feet, albeit a bit unsteadily. Still, the determined light hadn't left her eyes.

"Good," Blue said. "Time to switch up strategies. Roll forward and prepare to attack, just like before."

"Repeating mistakes is insanity, Oak," Brock snorted. "Abraham, you know what to do. Magnitude."

"Keep rolling, Carolyn," Blue said. "You'll know the opening you'll need when you see it."

When Abraham punched the ground, the ground shook one more, creating jagged cracks, uneven ground and-

"A ramp!" Blue crowed. "Perfect!"

The ground had separated from the strength of the attack, leaving a large upward slant that Carolyn rolled up at high speed, getting even more air from the force of the trembling ground below her. She uncurled herself out of the ball, high in the air above Abraham's head.

"We'll block and counterattack, just like last time!" Brock growled.

"Use dig, Carolyn!" Blue cried.

Carolyn fell like a rock, hands outstretched, and poor Abraham had only enough time to widen his eyes before she crashed into him with enough strength to drag the Graveler into the ground. The crowd winced as one at Abraham's yelp of pain. Brock merely stood still as stone, speechless.

After a moment, Abraham burst out of the ground, landing hard on his back. He was unconscious. A moment later Carolyn hopped out of the previous hole she had made, and performed a short bow.

A moment's pause, before the crowd erupted into cheers.

"Huh, I thought they didn't like me," Blue said, as Brock returned his Pokemon to his ball. "They like good, well fought battles," Brock said. "And yours was my best in years. I'm honored to present you with the Boulder Badge."

As the crowd clapped and clapped, Red stood up. He managed a quick round of applause of his own before scooping up a still sleepy Rocket from Yellow's arms and marching out of the gym, ignoring her calling his name out behind him.

Oak hadn't even noticed, for he was clapping and cheering the loudest of of everyone, and when Blue came out to greet him he met him with a tight hug. Brock smiled at the sight.

"I'm so proud of you," Oak said, gripping Blue's shoulders tightly. "Even in my own gym matches, I never wrapped up a fight that fast."

"Bastard used one of my own moves against me," Brock said, still looking a bit surprised. "He must've really studied for this."

"I talk a big game, but I make sure I have the skills to back it up," Blue said. "And you were a great opponent as well, Brock. I'd love a rematch when I've advanced a bit more."

"Hey, if we survive what happens next, I'd be happy to have that rematch," Brock said.

"The hell do you mean?" Blue asked, before Brock gestured to the now massive group of people surrounding the three men.

"Gym matches are insanely popular by default," Oak said, shaking his head. "And now, after a rather intense battle, here we stand. Three celebrities surrounded by adoring fans. Brock wasn't exaggerating when he said we may not survive this."

"Oh," Blue said, his very voice growing small as a dozen journalists swarm him.

"The first batch of paparazzi is always the worst," Brock said, resigned to the fate of shrieking girls about to tackle him to the ground. "But you'll get used to it."

* * *

"Stupid. Perfect. Blue." Red was tossing stones at the Pewter Museum of Science, aiming for the windows. Of course, with his aim, all he managed to hit were a a few of the surrounding trees.

"You got issues, man," Rocket said, shaking his head. "And do you really need to vent out your frustration by destroying government property?"

"Oh c'mon, it's the dumb museum," Red grumbled. "It's like fifty bucks to get a ticket and literally nothing of value is in there. No items, no cool move tutors. Seriously, check out the museum in the first generation, it blows and basically exists for no reason."

"Whatever, kid," Rocket said. "I just don't understand why you can't be happy for your friend here. Why do you always have to make everything about you?"

"I'm trying to, but every time I see him he just keeps improving and improving, and I'm left behind!" Red said. "I've had this dream my whole life, and….I think I realized today that I might just never cut it. There's too much of a gap."

"Red?"

Red turned to see an uncomfortable Yellow staring at him alongside Kenny. "Oh. hey guys. Sorry for storming out like that."

"I just...I've never heard you talk like that before," Yellow said, not meeting his eyes. "I um...I'm sorry for eavesdropping."

"Oh...I'm sorry, Yellow," Red said. "I just...I think it's time I dropped the act. Maybe I'm really not going anywhere."

"If I may interject, I've known you for maybe a half hour," Kenny said. "And I think we all know you're not ready to take on Brock."

"Gee, thanks," Red mumbled.

"But I know that fire in your eyes, the potential is there," Kenny said. "If at all possible, I'd like to train you. All you need is a little guidance and I think you'll have a shot. A diamond in the rough, if you will."

"L-like Aladdin," Red said in amazement.

"As long as it's not the live action one," Rocket whispered.

"Yeah, fair point," Red whispered back with a little shudder. "Eww…."

"Listen, I'll admit, I may not have that impressive a track record," Kenny said, shrugging his shoulders. "I've been around the business, challenging gyms with little success. I obviously have no leg to stand on when I tell you this, but-"

"Hey, dude, that just makes you super relatable," Red said, holding out his hand. "To fellow screw-ups?"

Kenny's face grew into a wide smile. "To champs in the making."

* * *

"Oh, Arceus, gross," Blue moaned, pulling out gum from his hair. "Fangirls are the worst. How did this even get in here?"

Oak laughed. It was a bit later in the day, and the two were taking a stroll around Pewter City, enjoying each other's company. "Wait until you get to your Center room. It'll be filled to the brim with presents and fresh pastries. Don't I know it."

"I've actually already checked out," Blue admitted. "I want to get to Mt. Moon as quickly as possible because Clefairy season is almost over."

"Oh," Oak said, blinking. "And you're sure you don't want to spend one last night here? The students and I will."

"I'm good, Gramps," Blue said, shrugging. "Not too much to do in Pewter anyway."

Oak cleared his throat. "If that's the case, I was hoping to discuss something with you before you left. Perhaps we could get a drink?"

"Oh uh...of course," Blue said, a little surprised. "What's it about?"

"Well…." Oak said as he steered his grandson towards a restaurant labeled 'Clefairy's Cafe'. "I think we'd better sit down first. It's something I should have told you a long time ago, and it actually relates to Mt. Moon."

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn._ Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	10. The Second Partnership

"I don't mean to be rude," Kenny said. "But why does your Pikachu seem so...agitated?"

"Oh, he's just not a big fan of Viridian Forest," Red said, patting a grumpy Rocket on the head.

At the crack of dawn, Kenny had woken up the young trainer (Red had no idea how the hiker had known where his Center room was, but he decided for his own peace of mind not to mention it) and lead him deep into the forest for their training. While Red was a morning person and therefore very excited, most of his Pokemon weren't too fond of waking up at five am. With the exception of Jackie, of course, who was already hooting and swinging around between the Viridian trees.

"Ah, here we are," Kenny said, finally coming to stop at a wide open field that bordered a small pond. "Not too many trees or wild Pokemon. This should be a good place to get some training done!"

"Awesome!" Red said. In his excitement, he dropped Lucina, whom he was carrying. She groaned as she hit the grass. "So, like, what's your cool, unique, seemingly unrelated activity you'll have me do to train?"

"I'm sorry?" Kenny asked as he dropped his large backpack on the grass and sat on it.

"You know. Karate Kid. Wax on, wax off. Mentors always have really obscure training methods that seem really contrived and pointless at first but ultimately have a true wisdom behind it that helps the inexperienced prodigy improve!" Red said, his eyes practically shining. Lucina rolled her eyes at that, but Rocket simply nodded like it was obvious.

"Oh uh...haha, I was just gonna have you try and beat me in a fight," Kenny said. "I uh...never trained anyone before. Figured that seemed like a good place to start."

"Oh," Red said, deflating. "I guess that's cool, too."

"Susan!" Kenny said, tossing out his Pokeball. His Nidorina appeared, and she stared at Red and his team with beady eyes. "So Red here's gonna try and rough you up. Just fight back and do what you feel like, dude."

Susan snorted, like this was a common occurrence, while Kenny rested with his head on his back, letting out a little yawn.

"Wait," Red said. "You're just going to sleep through our fight?"

"Yeah, champ. Waking up so early ain't fun for me either," Kenny said, settling down comfortably in the grass. "Have fun!"

Red, Rocket, Lucina, and Jackie watched as Kenny began to snore. Susan the Nidorina crouched down in front of him, ready to fight.

"Okay, I wasn't gonna say anything…" Rocket said. "But this guy's a whackjob. Why the hell are you even bothering with him, kid?"

"Because he actually believes in my potential!" Red said. He winced a little as Kenny muttered something about erupting volcanoes on Cinnabar spelling doom for the island. "I mean okay, given the circumstances, that may be saying more about me than it does about him, but he seemed pretty knowledgeable at Brock's gym match. Which you'd have known if you hadn't slept through it!"

"Okay, in my defense, that girl Yellow's cuddles are downright soporific," Rocket snapped. "She's like the softest person I ever met."

"I know right," Red said, his face breaking out in a goofy grin. "She's so cute and warm and fuzzy."

"Focus, lover boy," Rocket said. "Look, fact of the matter is, we may be just wasting valuable time here. You're the one so obsessed with catching up to that Oak kid."

"You're only snippy because you don't want to be in Viridian again."

"This has nothing to do with that!" Rocket said, his cheeks sparking in annoyance. "I already went through character development a couple chapters ago regarding the stupid forest, and I'm not retreading old ground. Well I mean, in a figurative sense, not so much a literal sense considering we're back in the for-"

"Susan, that's your name, right?" Lucina practically had to shout over Rocket and Red's argument. "Is it common for your trainer to let you fight while he's out like a light?"

"Oh yeah," the Nidorina said, shaking her head in amusement. "Look, we may as well just start. Believe it or not, my trainer is trying to prove a point here."

"Alright, alright," Red said. "So, uh...do we do this one on one?"

"I'll take on all three of you if you want," Susan said with a shrug. "Honestly, your chances are pretty low otherwise."

"Okay, dibs on her blue ass," Rocket said, narrowing his eyes and generating electricity from his cheeks.

"Ha, not if I can catch up to her first!" Jackie chattered, hopping up and down in excitement.

"Alright, kick her butt!" Red said, and the two Pokemon sprinted forward, neck to neck, with lusty roars. "Lucy, bring up the rear!"

Lucina's eyes flicked up to Red's. "How?"

Susan herself didn't make any aggressive movements, only acting at all when Jackie closed the distance. She reared up, blocking the Monkey's swipe and kicking her hard in the legs. Jackie buckled, and Susan jumped to the side as a lightning bolt shot towards her. Jackie was hit dead on and screeched as she collapsed in a smoking pile.

"Shit," Rocket muttered. "Sorry, doll!"

Jackie let out a little whimper.

"...And we're down to one on one anyway," Susan said, grinning in amusement. "It's just you and me, little man!"

"You don't have to do it alone, Rocket!" Red called. "Charge her down, Lucina!"

"Red, do you not understand how fucking biology works!" Lucina screeched, writhing on the ground in fury.

"Heh, I don't need them anyway," Rocket said, sprinting forward in zig zags in an attempt to trip up his opponent. "All I need to win is faith, trust, and pixie-"

Rocket gasped in pain as Susan planted her foot into his stomach. He had practically run straight into the attack.

"Disney lied to me," Rocket wheezed, doubling over. A quick blow from the Nidorina was enough to bring him down for good.

"It's all up to you, Lucina!" Red said, pumping a fist.

"Good lord, can you beat up him next?" Lucina pleaded.

"Jeez, that didn't take long at all," Susan said, disappointed as she looked at the two unconscious Pokemon sprawled on the ground. "Old Kenny's gonna have a tough time with you, dude."

She nudged her sleeping trainer, and he woke with a loud yawn. Stretching, he rose to his feet and looked around at the unconscious Pikachu and Monkey, and his unharmed Nidorina.

"Yup!" Kenny said, cracking a grin. "Seems about right!"

He went to work, pulling out some revives from his bag to wake up the fallen Pokemon, before spraying them with a few potions to get them back to full health. "Y'know, you really should stock up on these, champ. Pokemon tend to get roughed up even in the battles they win."

"Oh, Oak gave me some," Red said, remembering. "I just uh...keep forgetting I have them."

Lucina banged her head against the grass, a pretty impressive feat for one of her species.

"So, wanna know how you lost?" Kenny asked, finishing off healing a moaning Jackie.

"Wait, but how would you know what I did wrong anyway? You weren't even conscious during our fight."

"I could tell how the fight would go just from the matchup," Kenny said, giving a shrug. "Jackie and Rocket are quick, aggressive Pokemon, while Susan here, unlike her male counterpart, is bulkier and more defensive, better suited for deflecting attacks rather than throwing some of her own. Without type advantage, she could withstand your moves, and since your Pokemon are far more frail, her countering blows would certainly be enough to take them down."

"But...she had no orders," Red protested. "And without strategy-"

"Who says Pokemon don't have strategies of their own?" Kenny countered. "It's their instincts, their biological defense mechanisms that allow them to know what to do in a fight."

Red whimpered. "But...but strategy…"

"Look, order your Pikachu to attack Susan, right now," Kenny said. "Let's see how it goes."

"Alright, redemption time!" Red crowed. "Rocket, use thunder shock!"

Jumping to his feet, Rocket grinned and released electricity from his cheeks….only for his face to fall as the Nidorina easily avoided the thunder shock by hopping to the side.

"He's all yours," Kenny said, and Susan charged down the Pikachu.

"Quick, dodge!" a desperate Red called, but the Nidorina managed to bowl him over before he could manage it. He tried to rise, only to find a poisonous horn at his throat.

"Y'see the problem?" Kenny said. "It's a common rookie mistake to see Pokemon as a mere avatar for yourself, an outlet for your own thoughts and strategies. But it's not the case at all. We're our Pokemons' teachers, their coaches. We don't control them, but support and guide their considerable power. Sorta like my relationship to you. All you do by trying to force their actions is slow them down."

"So...I just let them do what they want?" Red asked.

"Not at all," Kenny said. "A Pokemon sees what's in front of them, but it's a trainer' job to be aware of every element of a battle. Finding that balance between trusting in your partner and knowing when to take charge is the fundamental key to being a trainer."

"Ookay…." Red said. "So like...I have to know stuff?"

"You have to learn stuff," Kenny corrected, once more reaching into his seemingly bottomless bag and pulling out stacks of Pokemon textbooks. "So that's why, while your Pokemon train their bodies, you'll be training your mind by learning about Pokemon biology and movesets. I got quite a few from the Pewter library, so you'll especially learn about the rock types that Brock uses."

"But I hate reading!" Red moaned. "Can't like...I watch a documentary or something?"

"Books enrich the mind, kiddo!" Kenny said. "Have fun!"

* * *

"You've caught all of them already?" Professor Oak asked, his face brightening in surprise from the Pokemon Center video screen that Blue was using to call home. "That's very impressive; quite a few Pokemon in Route Three are quite rare."

"Yeah, well, when you're trapped in a small area for a day and a half, you get a lot of free time," Blue snapped, unable to keep his annoyance out of his tone.

"You know this is for the best, Blue," Oak said. "Rocket will have cleared out soon, and you'll be able to traverse the cave freely."

"Yeah, yeah," Blue said with a little sigh. "I'm going to raise my team a few levels, study up on Cerulean's gym leader."

"Oh you'll get along famously with Misty," Oak said, his eyes lighting up. "She's around the same age as you, with the same spirit and passion for battling."

"Only been a gym leader for about a year and a half, right?" Blue said, remembering back when he had studied in depth each of the gym leaders months ago in preparation to become a trainer. He grinned. "She's pretty cute, eh?"

"Yes, well, I've heard she's a handful, so mind what you say around her," Oak said, adjusting some papers. "I'll see you soon, Blue. Stay safe."

"Smell ya later, Gramps," Blue said, and the screen winked out. The young Oak and collapsed on the big blue couch behind him, next to a man in a trench coat who had been watching their conversation.

"Why is he doing this?" Blue muttered. "Why the hell did I find everything out from you and not my own grandfather?"

"He's paranoid, and it's easy to understand why," the man in the trench coat said. "I fear he believes there's no use even to risk trying."

"It's insane," Blue said. "A legendary Pokemon ended the Indigo War? How the hell am I even supposed to process this, Looker?"

"Well, we're in the same boat in that regard," Looker replied, putting a hand on Blue's shoulder. Blue didn't look very pleased at the contact but didn't make an effort to shimmy away. "I'm still stunned! But now that we know what Rocket Industries has to hide…"

"You say that I can help?" Blue asked, careful but intrigued. Looker seemed to understand the mistrust in his eyes.

"Rocket, for whatever reason, wants to get their claws into your grandfather," Looker explained. "But obviously he's been elusive. Your potential cooperation gives them easier access to him, so they're likely to open up to you. Ergo, giving us insight."

Blue thought for a moment, a hand going back to the jewel he hung around his neck that he often fingered when he felt anxious. "Whatever this whole conflict is, between my grandfather and Rocket Industries and whatever the behemoth that ended the war is, I don't want any part of it. My Pokemon journey just started, and I'd rather just keep my head down and focus on my training."

"I understand," Looker said, nodding.

"But I don't appreciate stuff being kept from me," Blue said, shaking his head. His fist clenched around the jewel. "Apparently, I've been lied to for years, so if it means finally getting some goddamn answers…."

"You'll be of assistance to the international police?" Looker asked, a surprised smile springing to his face.

"...Under a condition," Blue finished. "My friend Green just started working an internship at whatever this Mt. Moon excavation project Rocket's started, and my sister is at a university in Saffron sponsored by the Silph Company. If making a move puts them at risk…"

"Well, Daisy Oak we believe is in the know about Rocket Industries and your grandfather's relationship with them," Looker said. "She's ghosted any of our attempts to communicate with her at the very least. Either way, we aren't looking to make a scene in Mt. Moon, so if she keeps her head down she'll likely be fine."

"All right, fair enough," Blue admitted. "And Green?"

"I suggest you find and talk to her before we make any other moves," Looker suggested. "I assume you trust her?"

"We've been close friends since we were kids," Blue said. "And she'll be just as interested in what Gramps hid from us as I am."

"Then do we have a deal?" Looker asked, extending his hand. "I'll admit. This operation...isn't exactly inside the er...legal parameters of my occupation. This is technically off duty work, and you could say I've technically "gone rogue," as it were, me taking so abrupt and direct actions."

"That's pretty badass, dude!" Blue said, eagerly shaking the older man's hand. "To understanding what the hell is going on, yeah?"

Looker chuckled. "To learning answers instead of accepting the fallacies and half-truths that Kanto's been feeding us."

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn._ Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	11. A Lesson in Victory

"Nyah nyah!" Jackie cackled, performing a quick tap dance as she hopped over bolts of lightning with ease. "You'll never catch me!"

Rocket merely gritted his teeth and kept firing off thunder shocks, growing increasingly frustrated with every missed attack. The Pikachu figured if he wasted time mouthing off, he'd just be wasting energy. That being said, he could barely keep himself from shrieking out in rage.

"Rocket, your natural speed won't be enough for an opponent like Jackie here. You'll need to learn how to adjust to faster fighting styles. I know you're used to being the fastest Pokemon around, but you'll find you'll have a lot that challenges you the more competitive the battling gets."

Kenny had spent the afternoon gently keeping an eye on Red and his team as they went about their training exercises. Jackie and Rocket were sparring in the open field, while Red sifted through textbooks, looking thoroughly miserable, Lucina lounging by his side.

"So, wait, this makes no sense," Red said, gesturing to a page in the textbook he was currently perusing: Battling Styles of Rock And Ground Pokemon. "How are flying types immune to earthy moves but weak to rocks? Hell, what's the difference between rock and ground anyway? Don't they both just come from the earth?"

"I dunno, kid, I don't make the rules," Kenny said with a shrug. "I guess the old adage about hitting two birds with one stone?"

"So, wait, our biology is based on a metaphor?" Red asked. "How does that make sense?"

"I wouldn't think about it," Kenny admitted. "I mean once you really think about the reasoning behind type match-ups, everything starts to fall apart logically."

He cleared his throat, as he sat down next to the young trainer. "So, what have you learned?"

"You know, if I knew my 'training' was just going to be learning basic Pokemon biology, I'd have just stuck with professor Oak," Red grumbled. "I really need to memorize this stuff to be a good trainer? This is mind numbing. And why are you having Lucina just sit there instead of fighting like Rocket and Jackie?"

"She's a Metapod," Kenny said. "Unlike most Pokemon, Metapod, being a cocoon, she evolves through metamorphosis rather than simple transformation. Butterfree actually hatch from their Metapod shell. It's a long process that will take Lucina here a ton of internal effort that won't even be visible to us, so she'll need a lot of rest."

"Wait," Red said. "Wouldn't Lucina be a chrysalis, not a cocoon? Since she's a butterfly and not a moth?"

Red froze and slapped his hands to his cheeks. "How the heck did I know that?"

"Haha, see stuff's starting to stick!" Kenny laughed, slapping Red on the back. "And uh...I wouldn't know. Everything I know about butterflies comes from The Very Hungry Caterpillar."

"This is great!" Red said, jumping up and down in excitement. "Quick, ask me more questions. I bet I know stuff!"

"Uh…. okay," Kenny said. "What Pokemon has the lowest base stat total of all time?"

Red squirmed with excitement. "Sunkern!"

"Well, technically it's an individual Wishiwashi," Kenny corrected. "But together they...what are you doing?"

"I'm going to stock up on knowledge!" Red cried, pouring through the textbooks with gusto. "I'll be a regular Pokemon genius."

"Huh," Kenny watched on, bemused, as the trainer who had spent hours grousing over studying now did so with the same passion, he took for Pokemon battling. "Guess all I needed to do was show him that there was something he knew, and I didn't."

"What was that?"

"Heh, nothing," Kenny said, turning back to where Jackie and Rocket were still sparring. The Mankey finally shrieked in pain as one of the Pikachu's lightning bolts made contact with her. Rocket was staring, stunned, disbelieving that he had actually managed such a feat.

"There we are," Kenny muttered to himself as he gave a thumbs' up to the flabbergasted Pikachu. "I think we're finally on our way."

* * *

After a few days of intense training, Kenny had decided to test Red's progress with a rematch, giving the trainer a second chance to prove himself.

Susan the Nidorina and Jackie the Mankey stared each other down in that same open field they had fought before, now littered with scorch marks from Rocket's missed thunders shocks. Jackie stood very still in her pose, an aggressive stance with her arms raised above her head. Her calmness was a sharp contrast with her usual zaniness, a fact that seemed to intrigue Susan, who stood at the ready just as she did when she fought the Mankey and the Pikachu before.

"You can make the first move, Red," Kenny said, and now he looked wide awake. He and his Pokemon wore matching expressions, an eagerness to see what the young trainer and his Pokemon were capable of. "Show me what you've learned."

Red didn't move. He himself did his best to stay just as still as Jackie, wary that any movement he made could broadcast his strategy. When he finally spoke, it was a quick "Go," yet it drove Jackie forward just the same.

Jackie's sprint was even quicker than normal, boosted from her constant training in dodging Rocket's attacks. Susan tensed, ready to block when Jackie took a jumping lunge, but didn't anticipate Jackie swinging her leg to switch directions midair. Now coming at the Nidorina from the side, she landed a powerful kick to her opponents' shoulder. Susan grunted in surprise and pain, jabbing forward with her horn, but Jackie was already flipping back to gain distance from her bulkier opponent.

"Not bad," Kenny crowed. "But let's see how you play when your opponent changes tactics! Charge her down, Susan!"

Taking off in a lumbering run, the Nidorina charged Jackie, who managed to cartwheel out of her way. Pivoting on one foot, Jackie struck from behind, only to be hit hard by twin kicks from Susan's back legs. Jackie hit the ground hard but managed to roll away before Susan could press an advantage.

"You can't dodge forever!" Kenny said. "Earth power!"

Susan punched the dirt, and an explosion ripped apart the ground under Jackie's feet just as she sprung at the Nidorina again. The power of the move actually boosted her jump, and she was upon Susan before she could counter.

"I was hoping you'd use a ground move," Red said, actually jumping in excitement. Kenny watched on in horror as Susan desperately tried to block against Jackie's lightning quick strikes. She blocked the majority, but several managed to get behind her guard and glance off her tough skin.

"You can do it, Susan!" Red cried. "Keep pushing her back, and give her no room to mount a counterattack!"

It was obvious who held the advantage. Susan was forced further and further back, and Jackie seemed to be hitting her stride. Her blows, though fast, weren't mindless. Each blow was calculated and aimed, and Susan could feel her limbs growing numb and her joints beginning to size up.

"You're gonna have to take a few hits, Susan!" Kenny called. "Return an attack of your own!"

"Low kick!" Red called.

Jackie ducked as soon as a desperate Susan lunged, and with one swift motion she swung a sweeping kick that knocked her legs out from under her. The Nidorina collapsed with a howl of surprise. Jackie let out a little whoop of joy.

Red merely looked on at the victorious Mankey in surprise. "I...I actually did it."

"There ya go, champ!" Kenny said, marching over and slapping his back. "Your first official victory in a Pokemon battle. I knew you had the potential!"

"I...amazing job, Jackie," Red said, as she climbed up his shoulder. "I uh...I think I need a minute."

"I won't say that's about everything I can teach you, but you made some great strides," Kenny said. "We'll call it for today, and I'd even think it's high time you actually challenged the gym leader."

"You think I'm really ready?" Red asked. "I mean, I've only won just one like, one match total, and Brock's clearly very tough."

"You didn't seem so cautious before," Kenny noted.

"I guess all that talk...all that bluster," Red suddenly looked embarrassed. "It was more of a fantasy than something I could perceive being following through on. Now that I'm beginning to see that I actually have potential…"

"You want to be cautious," Kenny said, giving a nod of understanding. "I see. Well, either way, I say we head back to Pewter. I'm starving!"

"Ooh me too," Red said, and they began to pack up. "Any place in mind?"

"Oh," Kenny said, a wide grin growing on his face. "An old friend invited us over for dinner."

* * *

Brock's cottage was surprisingly small given his classy occupation, and with his nine younger siblings running around, the kitchen was very crowded. Brock himself was wearing an apron as he scrutinized the noodles he was cooking, a far cry from the ordinary taciturn and stoic facade he showcased at the gym.

"So, you're challenging my brother tomorrow?" the oldest of Brock's siblings, Forrest was about twelve years old, and significantly calmer than the two twins who were literally fighting over poor Rocket.

"Uh maybe." Red winced as one of the younger girls jumped on his shoulders. "Hey, watch the hat."

"Well, I'll admit you piqued my interest with how you shouted at Blue like that," Brock said, turning over to smile at the trainer being harassed by his little sister. "Want an extra helping? You're our guest, after all."

"Heck yeah, I want extra," Red said. "And Blue and I go way back. You can call us fated rivals."

"Well, Blue's a tough act to follow," Brock said. "I'll admit, I'm getting a little excited here."

The massive family, Kenny, and Red sat around a tiny table, digging into the ramen that Brock had spent time preparing. Surprisingly, for once everyone was quiet as they ate. It was evident that Brock's skill as a cook was not to be scoffed at.

"So what's your guys' story then?" Red said through a mouthful, before taking a second to swallow. "You seem to be close friends. What's your history?"

"Oh, Brock's father and I were war buddies," Kenny said, leaning back in his chair, having practically inhaled his own plate. "I've known Brock here since diapers."

"Wait, you fought in the Indigo War?" Red whispered, amazed. "You never mentioned that."

"That's odd, old Ken loves to brag about the war," Brock said, grinning as Kenny punched his shoulder. "Don't believe any of the stories he tells you. About eighty percent of them are made up."

"Bah, you weren't there," Kenny snorted. "Anyway, I've been helping Brock here with the kids for a while now. Ever since er…."

"Ever since the responsibility was on me to take care of the household," Brock said in a strained sort of way. He seemed to notice the bitterness in his voice and gave an easy smile that resembled Kenny's usual grin. "Not that I'm complaining, I loved these little guys."

As he ruffled one of his sister's (Suzie's? Red had no idea which kid was which or what each of their names were) hair, Red chanced a glance at Kenny, who shook his head and mouthed: "I'll tell you later". Red decided just to go on with dinner and push down his questions and curiosity about Brock's reaction for the time being.

The conversation moved to Pokemon battling, a topic that certainly excited Forrest. Red didn't want to admit it, but the kid knew way more about statistics and moves than he ever could. Kenny looked like he was trying to stifle a laugh upon seeing the young trainer's stunned silence.

"What do you think, Red? Does a Dragonite have the bulk necessary to survive against Salamence's superior speed and ferocity?" Forrest asked, and Red was jolted from his daydreaming.

"I uh...think Dragonite looks cool?" Red said with an awkward grin.

"All right, I think it's best if we head now," Kenny said suddenly, managing to save Red from Forrest's response. "We'll see about the match tomorrow, eh?"

"I'm certainly excited for it," Brock said, shaking Red's hands. "Whenever you're ready, come at me any time."

"I'll be sure to-"

"Tilly! Cindy! Don't you dare run away," Brock thundered. "You're helping me clear off the table!"

As Brock's siblings began to argue amongst themselves over who would have which job, Kenny nudged a bemused Red, who turned around to see that he had both their bags in hand and Rocket on his shoulder.

"We'd better get out of here," he murmured. "These spats can last hours."

* * *

The two were out of there without Brock or his siblings noticing. Only a passive Forrest saw them leave, and he gave them a knowing smile and a conspiratorial wink as they slipped out.

It was a bit late now, the moonlight imbuing Pewter's empty streets in a fluorescent glow. The night air was cool, and Red couldn't help but feel his spirits rise.

"You know, I've always wanted a nice family dynamic like that," he said. "I sorta had it, with old Oak and his grand-kids, but like...genetics wise it was just me and my mom, stuck with each other."

"It's total chaos, but it's beautiful chaos," Kenny agreed. "Heh, shame I never settled down myself."

They came into view of the Pokemon Center, but there was still that question Red wanted to ask. "Er, why is Brock taking care of his siblings by himself? Are his parents…."

He trailed off.

"His mom passed away, just last year," Kenny said quietly. He gestured to a park bench, and Red nodded. They both sat down. "And his dad, well..."

Kenny cleared his throat. "See, truth is, back in the war, we served under Lieutenant Surge in the Instinct Corps, defending Port Vermilion. You know enough about our history to know the war wasn't going well for a long time, eh?"

"Yeah," Red said. "Johto's might took a lot of the southernmost cities, right?"

"That they did," Kenny said. "Anyway, Vermilion was right in the thick of the war, and once Fuchsia was captured, we had to defend it on two fronts. Hell, if it wasn't for our close proximity to Saffron, we'd have been overwhelmed right away. As it was, we suffered some of the worst casualties in the war. I was actually one of the lucky ones."

He pulled up a pant leg to reveal a scar just below his knee. "Gunshot wound that got me honorably discharged. Last time I saw a lot of the boys in the Instinct Corps. Brock's father, Flint, served long after I was sent home, and finally returned with what little remained of the Vermilion militia, but..."

"What?" Red asked, transfixed. Rocket looked just as intrigued.

"I don't know," Kenny said helplessly. "The official records say that Johto withdrew, but I've always had the theory that powerful psychics were involved in what forced them to retreat, probably reinforcements from Saffron. Flint was never physically wounded, but he was never the same person when he came back. Maybe it was PTSD, or maybe my theory about psychic involvement was correct and he was hit by friendly fire, but either way, he suffers from memory loss, hallucinations, has no real concept of depth perception…"

He took a deep, choked breath. "Flint was a broken man after that. His wife did her best to help, they had a lot of kids, did their best to raise them as a normal family, but after she passed…he gave up. He's ashamed of himself, and well...I see him every once in a while when he tries to discreetly check up on his kids."

Red squirmed in his seat. "That's rough, man, I'm sorry to bring stuff like this up."

"It's fine," Kenny said. "I just wish he let us help him."

"So, Brock is just...stuck here? Looking after all those kids?" Red asked. "Does he even want to be gym leader?"

"He likes battling for sure, but Brock always wanted to be a breeder," Kenny said. "It was all he talked about growing up. Heh, he was kinda like you in that regard."

"Oh," Red said, looking down.

"It's not a very happy story, but I think one last lesson before your gym battle with Brock will do you credit," Kenny said. "Sometimes dreams just don't work out when real life gets in the way, and it can be external or internal influences. Part of committing to a goal is knowing that you may have to give up on it one day. Denial won't do you any favors."

"Is that what you did?" Red asked. "You told me you didn't have battling in you anymore."

"I did," Kenny said with a rueful smile. "After the war, well, I wasn't really the trainer I used to be. I have issues of my own, I guess. But hey, I'm satisfied. Because of you, Red. Your dedication, your drive to be the champion, that's enough for me, just being part of your journey."

Red looked down and thought for a long while. "I think...I think I'm going to take a few days before I challenge the gym. Do some solo training. For once...I don't want to rush this. Committing to a goal doesn't mean I have to move at a breakneck pace, right?"

"It's up to you, champ," Kenny said, and he began to trudge away. "But when you challenge Brock, no matter how long it takes, I'll be there to support you."

"You know, you're really not acting like yourself lately," Rocket remarked, noticing Red's hands shaking. "You sure you're doing okay, kid?"

"Yeah," Red said in a hoarse voice. He began to shiver, and hugged his arms close to his chest. Rocket looked his trainer in the eyes and started at just how pale he was.

"It hit me for the first time just how much I have to lose."

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	12. Brock

It was mid afternoon when Blue finally noticed Green walking through the doors of the Pokemon Center, clothes dirty but with an energetic smile on her face. He approached he as she handed over a few Pokeballs to the Nurse Joy working there.

"Hey, Green," Blue said, waving a hand.

Green's face lit up. "Blue! I heard you won your gym match!"

She went for a hug while he went for a handshake. After an awkward moment, they settled on a high five.

"Yeah, kicked Brock's ass pretty well and good," Blue said, gesturing showing off the new Boulder badge in his badge case proudly. "No one was too surprised."

"You know, you and Red could both learn a little word called 'humility'," Green said, raising an eyebrow. "Probably will make you more likable to your "adoring" fans. They all think you're a cocky asshole?"

"Why hide what I really am?" Blue asked. "Say, you want to head to Pewter for a drink? There's a nice restaurant Gramps and I ate at a few days back."

"You're on," Green said. "Just got out of work anyway. I haven't spent much time in Pewter yet, so maybe we could check out the museum as well?"

"Well we all know the museum is a waste of space, but whatever floats your boat." As he opened the door and held it for her, Blue chanced a glance to the man sitting on the big blue couch, blocked by the massive newspaper he was reading. The man gave Blue a brief thumbs' up, a hint of the sleeve of his brown trench coat in view…

"Alright," Blue muttered under his breath as he followed Green out the door. "Let's hope this 'date' of ours goes well."

* * *

"You sure you want to do this now, kid?" Rocket asked, watching Red take a few deep breaths. They were standing outside the doors of the gym, and they had been doing so for more than a few minutes.

"Y-yeah, yeah, I got this," Red said. He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "I'm the boss, I'm the boss, I'm the boss…"

"Look, when we first met, maybe I didn't exactly have high hopes for you doing well," Rocket said, trying for his best soothing voice. "In truth, heh, I thought you might get us all killed."

"Okay Rocket," Red mumbled.

"No seriously, I need to stress that I had to accept that I'd be gored by a Tauros or something," Rocket said. "Not even like an enemy Tauros. Just one that you accidentally pissed off-"

"Okay, Rocket," Red hissed. "Really not very reassuring."

"-But we've gotten a lot better, dude!" Rocket said. "Jackie doesn't go berserk every time she sees a potential opponent, I can actually hit the broad side of a barn with my lightning attacks now, and Lucina-"

"You guys are great," Red interrupted. "I'm not worried that you'll suck. I'm worried that I'll screw it up like I screw up everything."

"Where is this coming from?" Rocket asked. "You never used to second guess yourself before. It's one of your greatest, if obnoxious, qualities."

"Well, the first step to not sucking is realizing how much you sucked beforehand," Red explained. "And oooh boy, in my case, there was a lot of suckage."

"You being more cautious is great, but you having a panic attack is not," Rocket said. "You need to let yourself feel confident, or we'll all be screwed."

"I guess…." Red said.

"Look, even if you don't feel it, act like it, trick everybody else," Rocket said. "Maybe you'll even forget it's an act."

"Okay," Red said, closing his eyes and letting out one final deep breath. "Let's go crush some rocks."

He pushed the doors open as dramatically as he could manage.

"Gentlemen!" Red shouted with a wide grin as he sauntered into the gym. "Your superior has arrived!"

It was far less crowded than when it had been when Blue fought Brock; only a few spectators could be seen at the stands, Brock's siblings notable among them. In fact, the only supporter on Red's side was Kenny, who grinned and gave him a thumbs' up.

"Oh," Red said, growing very quiet.

"Yeah, not very climactic of a setting, is it?" A voice said behind him.

Red screamed and jumped away from his potential attacker….only to see it was Yellow. Rocket fell off his shoulder and flat on his face.

"Jesus, dude, how do you keep doing that?!" Red shouted, putting a hand on his heart.

"Sorry!" Yellow said, looking embarrassed. "I just was worried I'd be late for your match."

"Are old Oak and the crappy twins here too?" Red asked.

"Um no," Yellow admitted. "I uh...kind of snuck out. Hunkered down in the hut where I used to live in Viridian Forest."

"Haha, I forgot you used to live in the wild like a crazy person," Red said. He smiled. "Anyway, I'm really happy you came down to support me, Yellow."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Yellow said, clapping her hands. "You've been whining about this dream of yours our entire lives! Of course I'd want to support you."

"Um...did you have to use the word 'whining'?" Red asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Saved ya a seat, kiddo!" Kenny called, patting the bench to his left. "We can make bets!"

"What do you mean 'saved you a seat?" Red asked. "There's literally no one else-"

Yellow punched him playfully on the arm to shut Red up. "On my way, Kenny!"

As she darted up to the stands, Red looked up to see Brock ducking under the ring ropes to greet him. They shook hands. Brock was in his ordinary getup, shirtless with some very beat up pants.

"Glad to see you here, Red," Brock said. "Trainers from Pallet are far and few between, so having the chance to take on two in one week is quite the treat."

"Oh, I'll show you a real treat soon enough," Red said with a wink. "I'll make Blue look like Youngster Joey."

"Oh?" Brock said, an amused smile playing on his face. "Well I won't deny I'm excited to see how you fare compared to your 'fated' rival."

"So, do we do this now?" Red asked. "Or do I have to fight preliminary matches?"

"Ken told me you beat Susan in a one on one fight," Brock said. "Susan's never lost in the preliminaries once. I think we're ready to start. Come on up to the ring."

He looked at Rocket as Brock jumped back up on the battlefield arena. "Hey, I'm obviously not to use you, given your typing and all. Want to hang with Kenny and Yellow?"

The Pikachu snorted. "I'm with you till the end of the line, kid. Not going anywhere."

"I'll admit," Red said, climbing up after the gym leader. "That is kinda reassuring."

"I think I'll be using two Pokemon this time around," Brock announced after a moments' hesitation. "You of course, will be allowed to use six. Unlike myself you will be allowed to switch out at any point. The match will come to an end with when one sides' team is unable to battle, or if either of us opt to surrender."

"I never understood this," Yellow said, as Brock raised a Pokeball and prepared to throw it. "Why are there so many limitations against the gym leader? It always feels so stacked against them."

"Truth is, it's not a gym leader's role to go all out in a cutthroat attempt to win like the challenger," Kenny explained. "It's a gym leader's job to test their opponent, to determine the progress the trainer still needs to make. I doubt even a trainer with a few badges could hope to challenge a gym leader fighting their damndest, especially when they're using their most powerful teams."

"Wow, you're really passionate about this, huh," Yellow said, smiling up at the hiker.

"Haha, well, back in the day I sorta wanted to be a gym leader myself, or at least defeat one," Kenny admitted. "Dream kinda went south when I got drafted into the Indigo War though."

"Remember the stakes and danger of our match," Brock said, wrapping up his speech with the same line Red remembered him telling Blue. "By putting your Pokemon on the field of battle you put them at risk, and that goes for me as well."

Red hesitated. This was his last chance to back out. Was he ready? He chanced a glance at the battlefield, remembering Blue's report a while back on how each gym had a specific arena. As one would expect from a rock gym, the arena floor was earthy, with jutting rocks sprinkled around to complete the look. Red had no doubt this would give Brock an advantage over him. Was he really ready?

Rocket's tail nudged his neck, and he looked to see his Pikachu give him a confident grin. Already feeling better, he unclipped the Pokeball of his choice from his belt.

"Let's get this over with then, eh?" Red asked, spinning the ball on a finger. Brock grinned at his bluster.

"That's good enough for me!" Brock said, throwing his Pokeball. "Joshua, show them our rock-hard determination!"

The Pokemon resembled the Graveler he used against Blue, but clearly in its previous, unevolved form, being much smaller in size and lower in muscle tone. Only two arms were attached to his rocky body, but the fierce expression on his face put Red off regardless.

"Jackie, you're up first!" Red called, throwing his own ball. Jackie leaped out with a shriek, sliding into her signature stance with her arms raised above her head.

"Wow, Jackie looks...a lot different," Yellow noted.

"Lot stronger, right?" Kenny agreed. "It's pretty incredible how quickly Pokemon can grow, even just in a few days."

"Well, yes, but I mean even beyond that," Yellow elaborated. "I only met her briefly, but she was clearly Red's strongest Pokemon of the three he had. She was also clearly still wild and out of his control. Now Red and Jackie seem to be in sync, even just from their stances."

Kenny let out a low, long whistle. "You can tell that just from a quick look?"

"I um...I was basically raised by Pokemon," Yellow admitted with a bashful giggle. "And Oak taught me a lot about them after that, so I do know a thing or two."

"Where's Abraham, Brock?" Red taunted. "I bet he'd put up a tougher fight than this tiny pebble."

Brock shrugged. "I prefer Abraham for one on one fights. Besides, I like my opponents to be blind when I fight them. You've already seen his tricks."

"Fair enough," Red admitted. "Jackie, you take this one easily. Just keep focused."

The Mankey gave a curt nod, her eyes never leaving her opponents'.

"Show time," Kenny whispered, timing Brock's call perfectly.

"Joshua, rock throw, now!" Brock ordered, and the Geodude elbowed the rocky ground beneath him with enough strength to send two large stones bursting upwards. Catching them, he spun, whipping the stones at Jackie.

"Go get 'em!" Red ordered, and Jackie was running to meet the flying rocks, swift as an arrow.

With a battle cry, she swung a kick to shatter the first stone, before spinning to bring down a karate chop to perfectly cleave the second in two. She continued her sprint to the Geodude, the rock throw only having stalled her for a few seconds.

"Defense curl," Brock shouted, and Joshua raised his hands to guard as Jackie fell upon him. Joshua's rocky arms were enough to repel Jackie's raining blows, but it was obvious who had the edge. Each kick, each calculated yet aggressive strike pushed the Geodude backwards, and it was obvious to the Mankey that he didn't even come close to stacking up to Susan's skill.

"Magnitude, Joshua!" Brock barked. "You need to push her back."

With a grunt of effort, Joshua slammed his fists into the ground, the impact making cracks and causing the very ground to shake. It carried on far enough to even affect Red, who actually stumbled a bit, Rocket gripping tightly to his shoulder.

The move would have been very effective...if Jackie hadn't jumped in the air before Joshua's fists had even struck the ground.

Falling down, Jackie used her momentum to land a vicious chop upside Joshua's head, and he smashed into the ground on his face. Jackie landed behind him in a crouch.

Joshua managed to push himself up and threw a vicious, desperate punch...that Jackie caught. With one final war cry, she flipped the Geodude over her head, and he smashed into the ground once more, this time on his back.

"Yes!" Red said, pumping a fist, as Yellow and Kenny both broke into raucous applause. Brock nodded a little to validate the victory and returned Joshua to his Pokeball.

Brock's siblings, Red was pleased to see, looking grouchy and unnerved by Red's quick victory. All except for Forrest, who was leaning over the railing, eyes shining.

"I'll admit, Red, that was record timing," Brock said, pulling out another Pokeball.

"Yeah, well, I got to back up my claims, right?" Red said, tipping his hat. His confidence felt a little less forced than it had when he first arrived at the gym.

"That was the same line your rival used when he beat me," Brock pointed out.

"Yeah, well, did Blue beat you without taking any damage?" Red asked rhetorically. "I didn't think so."

"Blue fought a much tougher first opponent than you did," Brock said. "Joshua's fairly new to my battling team. I'll admit, that fight was mostly just to test if you were serious or not."

"Aw what?" Red asked, deflating.

"Keep up that confidence though," Brock said, pressing the button on his Pokeball. "It may do you some good against this next guy. It's down to you, Samson!"

"Uh-oh," Kenny muttered.

"Uh-oh, what?" Yellow asked, glancing at him.

"Uh-oh, that!" Kenny said, pointing at the Pokemon that had just entered the fray.

A massive, snake-like Pokemon seemed to curl around the entirety of the arena. Towering over Brock's impressive six feet, an Onix let out a roar that seemed to shake the entire gym. Both Red and Rocket stared, jaws dropped, and even the fearless Jackie looked a bit intimidated as she looked up at the Pokemon that dwarfed her.

"Uh-oh!" Yellow cried, cupping a hand to her mouth.

Brock grinned at their reactions. "I'd say it's time for the real fight to begin."

"Hey, kid, should we throw in the towel?" Rocket whispered. "He looks like he's going to eat poor Jackie alive!"

Red hesitated only a moment. "Jackie! No matter how big he is, he's still just a rock. Pulverize him like you would any of his type."

His rousing confidence likely would have motivated the Mankey, but she was too busy springing backwards, narrowly dodging Samson's swinging tail as it cracked the ground where she once stood. Landing on her hands, she back flipped a few feet back.

"C'mon, Jackie, charge him down!" Red ordered. "Get past his guard."

Brock merely shook his head as Jackie launched forward once more. "First rule of gym battles, never use the same technique twice. Rock tomb!"

Samson drew itself to full height (barely brushing against the ceiling with his horn), and dropped down massive boulders that rained on Jackie. She went to work, kicking and punching through them, but they were far bigger and far more in number than when Joshua had used rock throw.

Red bit his lip, noting that though Jackie was holding her own against the falling rocks, she wouldn't make any progress. A boulder that managed to clip her shoulder was what convinced Red that the exchange was pointless.

"Fall back!" Red ordered, and Jackie weaved through the boulders, back to his side. Her shoulder wound didn't seem too serious-

-but before he could get a good look, Samson's tail struck her from the side and slapped her against the ground.

"Jackie!" Red cried, and both Kenny and Yellow stood up in their horror. Brock smiled, victory in sight.

"Sorry, Red, but there's no way you can escape Samson's range," Brock said, before snapping a finger. "End it!"

Samson swung his tail down like a hammer with all of his strength…

….

...Only it never hit the ground.

"Bwuh?" Brock spat out, as Samson looked on in surprise as his tail slowly began to lift. Kneeling with one foot, Jackie was pushing up the tail higher and higher, her arm shaking under the massive effort.

"Holy shit thank god," Red whispered. Jackie's fur was matted with blood, but the fierce determination in her eyes was enough to tell him she could keep going. "It's time for our secret weapon! Low kick!"

With a shriek of both pain and force of will, Jackie tossed Samson's tail aside, managing to throw him off balance. Then she was pouncing at him, swinging a roundhouse kick that managed to find purchase into his thick, rocky skin.

Samson grunted in pain and slid backwards, as Jackie managed to land on her feet. Kenny and Yellow cheered her on as she aimed for his head.

Samson swung his head, meeting two of her blows with his horn, before Brock ordered him to use the move "screech". Samson opened his mouth and let loose a vicious, blood curdling scream that was somehow enough to force her backwards.

"Now, dig! End it!" Brock ordered.

"Dodge!" Red cried out desperately and managed a sigh of relief as Jackie rolled to the side to avoid the Onix as it burrowed into the ground.

Of course, Red realized, this left him as a sitting duck, as he was unable to do anything until Samson resurfaced.

But maybe that wasn't true.

"Jackie, I need you to be sure of his movements," Red said. "We need to know where he's going to pop out."

Jackie rose to one knee and placed a hand on the arena floor, closing her eyes. Her nose began to twitch.

"Now, jump!" Red cried.

Jackie sprang up...a split second before Samson burst out from under her.

"Get him!" Red screamed.

Using his horn as a grip, Jackie landed on the Onix's head, aiming vicious strikes at such a vulnerable position. Samson roared in pain and thrashed around in his panic. Brock actually had to duck when Samson accidentally swung his tail over where he was.

"Oh my god, is he aiming for the horn?" Kenny asked, a deep pain evident in his eyes.

"Well, hey, look at the bright side," Yellow said. "At least he isn't using his Pikachu to do it."

Jackie had hit her stride now, unrelenting in her many attacks to poor Samson's noggin. Samson himself was a wreck, unable to hit her thanks to her position on his head.

Brock cursed under his breath. "Let's change tactics. Use bide!"

Upon hearing his trainers' reassuring voice, Samson calmed immediately. He tightened himself up, repeatedly taking attack after attack while slowly turning the color red.

"That's not good," Kenny said, taking off his hat to wipe away some sweat from his brow. "Bide's a terrifying attack."

"What does it do?" Yellow whispered.

"It takes any damage that's dealt on a Pokemon and releases it right back to its opponent," an ashen faced Kenny explained. "Jackie's done so much damage now that, if fired, I don't think any of Red's Pokemon could survive it."

"Dammit, use low kick!" Red said, trying to stay calm himself. Still, each kick that wasn't enough to bring down Samson was another stab to his heart. Jackie threw low kick after low kick, but he just wasn't budging.

"Of course, the move leaves the user in a very vulnerable state, and Jackie has type advantage," Kenny explained. "As long as she's unrelenting, her moves might be enough to take him out before-"

"Jackie return!" Red ordered, after a minute.

"Oh," Kenny said, blinking. "I think he may have screwed himself over."

Jackie looked annoyed she was being pulled out but allowed it anyway. Samson shook with newfound power, still coated in red.

"Switching out right before the bide hits, eh?" Brock said, raising an eyebrow. "What are you trying to do, sacrifice a Pokemon?"'

"Not at all!" Red said. "In fact, you using the move bide sealed my victory. Let's show 'em why, Lucina!"

He threw the ball, and out came...well she certainly wasn't a Metapod anymore. Two powerful, beautiful, gossamer wings took her new purple body to the sky, and her now red eyes were compounded. The brand new Butterfree performed a dance in the air, to the amazement of the people sitting in the stands.

"Haha, I'll admit we may have done a little recital to show off for our gym match," Red chuckled, as Lucina performed an aerial pirouette.

"She's so pretty!" Yellow gushed, clasping her hands.

"Yeah well, pretty ain't gonna win her the match," Kenny said. "That's a very dangerous choice against a rock gym."

"Alright, Lucina, let's show them what you can do," Red said. "Use confusion!"

A bright, pink power shone in Lucina's eyes, and she sent a psychic wave to cause Samson to writhe in pain, attacking his very mind.

"Keep at it, don't let up!" Red ordered, and Lucina swooped around the Onix, shooting psychic attacks to wound the beast further.

"Ah, a psychic move," Brock noted. "Clever. Though rock types are sturdy against most moves, they have no defense against mental attacks like that. And I assume another advantage you intend to use is your Butterfree's mobility to evade attacks? I see you actually know what you're doing."

Red said nothing, and Lucina let loose yet another confusion attack. Despite the pain clearly wracking Samson's body, he had not yet fallen. Indeed, he was still glowing red, ready to shoot off the bide attack.

"But it's a risky play," Brock said, folding his arms. "With your typing, a single attack landed will be enough to take you down. You may be risking your Pokemon's life here."

"He has a point, you know," Lucina said to Red with telepathy, careful to avoid revealing she could do so to the other humans in the gym. "If I get hit by even a pebble, I'm probably going to fucking die."

"Just trust me, Lucy," Red said back, doing his best to sound confident, a difficult feat considering they were communicating mentally. "He lost the moment he decided to use bide."

The Butterfree still looked a bit disgruntled, yet she continued to aim her attacks, racking up considerable damaging against a grumbling Samson. Suddenly the Onix's eyes shot open.

"Now, bide!" Brock shouted.

"Sleep powder!" Red cried out.

Samson opened his mouth, but froze as Lucina shook her wings, and a powder descended on his body. For a moment he struggled against whatever was causing his eyes to droop, but ultimately collapsed, snoring.

"I-what?" Brock gaped.

"End it, Lucy!" Red shouted, and Lucina narrowed her eyes. Samson's body became outlined in pink, and began to rise, higher and higher, a sleeping Onix floating above the trainers' heads.

With a scream of effort, Lucina slammed Samson down, and though the Onix had been strong enough to crack the ground, the Butterfree crumbled it. Samson practically sank into the earth as dust and rocks flew up around him.

Even if he hadn't been asleep, the Onix would not be waking up anytime soon.

The silence that followed was deafening. Brock's siblings were all staring, open-mouthed, almost in unison. Yellow and Kenny looked just as stunned. Brock actually fell to his knees in shock.

Red finally broke the silence. "FUCK YEAH!"

"That was...an excellent battle, Red," Brock said, walking over to shake his hand. "I'd never have thought a Butterfree could take out an Onix. You managed to bait me into using bide, and I never saw it coming."

"Thanks man, it was really fun!" Red said. "So, do I get a badge now?"

"You do," Brock said, nodding. "It's a whole ceremony, so you may want to get all that dirt off you clothes before you talk to the press."

"Wait, press?" Red asked. "I'm going to be like...interviewed and stuff?"

"Sure thing, champ in the making," Kenny said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "You beat a gym leader. That means you're serious about this whole thing. You're on the map now."

"On the map…" Red whispered. "This is the best day of my life…"

"I knew you could do it," Yellow said, hopping down from the stands after Kenny. "Plus, now Kenny owes me fifty bucks."

"Wait, you bet against me?" Red turned on Kenny, who gave a nervous laugh.

"I just uh...thought you might not have won with a perfect record when you fought him," Kenny admitted. He gulped at Red's glare. "Hey, give me a break, I've never beat Brock before!"

"Pay up!" Yellow said, smiling as she held out a hand. Kenny let out a deep sigh and dug through his pockets.

"The ceremony will be tonight, so why don't we all have dinner at our house after," Brock said. "Though uh...you may want to watch your back, Red."

"Why so?" Red asked, but gulped when Brock pointed back to his siblings, who were wearing matching angry expressions and stomping down the stands, right towards the trainer from Pallet.

"Haha, let's just say they don't like it when I lose," Brock chuckled. "You have a lot of apologizing to do."

Red stumbled back. "Oh god. My worst nightmare. Angry orphans."

He ran away screaming. The kids (save for a couple of the older ones), broke out into a run after him, screaming bloody murder. Red shrieked and poured on the speed.

"That's the trainer who might end up being the champion," Brock said, amused.

"Right? This is gonna be such a fun ride!" Kenny said with a toothy grin.

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	13. Injustice Served

"Check is on you, eh?" an impressed Green said as the waiter, a tall, thin man who spoke little, whisked away with their menus. "Never figured you for a gentleman."

Clefairy's Cafe was a quiet, yet high quality restaurant without much presence; a place Blue had found perfect to talk to his friend. Indeed, at the moment, he and Green were the only ones seated. The guy tending the bar was so bored he was openly watching the television displayed on the back wall.

"Hey, I'm very much a gentleman," Blue said, taking a sip of his drink. He nearly spat it out. "Gah, I can practically taste the minerals. I hate Pewter."

"Yeah?" Green raised an eyebrow. "Then why'd you take me here, stud?"

"Food's not bad," Blue said, shrugging. "Plus, I keep getting flocked by like...fan-girls and paparazzi and stuff. This is a good place to take a breather and get some alone time."

"Ooh, publicity? You poor baby," Green said, cooing mockingly. "Tired of all the endless praise and gifts you get from your adoring fans? I feel sooo bad for you."

Blue snorted. "You know, you call me an asshole, but you're way worse of one."

"Hey, dude, I have to work in a cave," Green said. "With guys that don't shower. There's so much dirt caked into my skin I think my pigment's changing. Remember how, despite getting the same grades, you got to be a Pokemon Trainer and I have to work at an internship in a cave?"

"All right, all right!" Blue said, raising his hands in surrender. "You win, your life is worse than mine."

They broke off into laughter that ultimately lapsed into a comfortable silence. Blue had missed Green. Red was like a brother to him, but good god was he an idiot, and though Yellow was sweet and kind, she was always quiet and difficult to read. Green, on the other hand, had always matched him wit for wit, always managed to challenge him. Not too many people could do that.

"So, you building up a team, yet?" Blue asked. "Or are all the sweaty dudes getting all the best ones?"

"In all seriousness, they're a great bunch of people," Green admitted. "Gave me my starter and helped teach me the basics. I know most of them on a first name basis. And yeah, I'm getting a team together. We're getting tough too, so you'd better watch out when we battle."

"Yeah, yeah, you wouldn't be able to land a hit on me," Blue said with a confident grin that suddenly began to fade. "Hey uh...listen, Green. There's something I have to tell you, regarding Rocket Industries-"

"Slowpoke tails for the young couple," the waiter suddenly said, having seemingly materialized out of nowhere. Blue yelped and jumped, while Green watched his reaction curiously.

"Er...yes, thank you very much," Blue said, settling back in his chair, now very red.

"Is there anything else I can-?"

"No, no, that's enough," Blue snapped, waving the waiter away, who gave him a very affronted look.

"What's eating you?" Green asked, watching Blue very warily. "Is this...something serious?"

Blue looked up, just to confirm that the waiter was out of earshot. "It's er...a long story."

He told her everything. About how Oak had prevented him from crossing into Mt. Moon, to Looker tracking him down and rocking his world in a way he never could have predicted, to his feelings about how his grandfather had lied to him… It felt good to get out. Green was a good listener, intently focused, and she never interrupted him.

Green swirled her glass, before taking a sip of her own. "I think you're exaggerating; this isn't really all that bad. Better than any of that Pallet swill at the very least."

"Okay, dude?" Blue deadpanned. For all of the reactions he had expected from his childhood friend, completely changing the subject wasn't one of them. "I kinda dropped a major bombshell, do you want to...respond to it at all?"

Green pursed her lips. "Look, it's a lot to take in, and-" she froze. "Oh my god. Look at the television."

Blue whirled around. There on the tiny screen, Red was unmistakably talking with a reporter, a look of intense pride on his face. Did he…

"Sir, do you mind turning up the volume?" He asked, and the bartender nodded. A moment later and he could hear Red's loud, arrogant voice that he never realized he kind of missed.

"I won't lie, Brock's a pretty tough trainer," Red said, holding up a badge. "But you know, when you're as skilled and strategic and sexy as me…"

"Well, what do you know?" Green whispered, a large smile forming on her face. "He actually did it."

"Yeah," Blue said, and he couldn't help but feel his spirits rise. Maybe Red could be an adequate rival after all.

His good mood didn't last very long, however, as that was precisely when the Ekans lunged for him from behind.

Letting out a yelp, Blue crashed into the table, knocking his plate askew and shattering his wine glass. The purple snake wrapped around him, and when Blue ripped a Pokeball off his belt, a tail slapped it out of his hands. He tried to wrench himself free, but the grip was iron tight, and all attempts to escape were halted when the Ekans squeezed. He couldn't move...he could barely even breathe…

No one else, not the waiter, not the bartender, even moved, as if they had expected this to happen. Even Green looked merely mildly surprised, sliding back when the spilled wine threatened to splash her.

"Help….me…" Blue managed to hiss out, his eyes desperately focused on the one person he thought he could trust. Green bit her lip and turned away.

The kitchen doors opened, and half a dozen men sprinted out, surrounding the pair. They wore dark outfits, and their faces were covered with bandannas. At last a woman flanked them, clad in white, her pink hair seemingly defying physics in how it pointed back. It had grown so silent that the click of her high heels against the floor could be clearly heard by all in the room.

"Excellent work, Green," the woman said, giving a cold smile to the now very awkward girl. "I thought we'd never get him to lower his guard."

"I-I thought you just wanted to talk to him!" Green protested. "I didn't think you were going to assault him!"

"Yes, well, this ensures he can't escape," the woman said, leaning over Blue, who had gone very pale. "I don't like taking risks. Venom, loosen your grip; we don't want to kill him."

The Ekans let out a hiss of annoyance but adjusted itself. Blue let out a gasp of air and sagged.

"There, is that better?" The woman crooned.

"You named your Ekans 'Venom'?" Blue snapped, as soon as he had his wits about them. "Kinda on the nose. What, next you're gonna have a Koffing named 'Explosive'?"

"You really aren't in much of a position to quip," the woman said. "I'd watch your tongue, or you could very well lose it."

"Yeah, yeah, we both know you can't kill me," Blue said. "You need me to get to my grandfather."

"I see that the rumors of your great intelligence were not exaggerated." The bartender had approached and pulled off his hat and coat, revealing a white uniform identical to the woman's, and long blue hair that fell to his shoulders. "It's very nice to meet you, Blue Oak."

"Oh yeah, charmed," Blue said through gritted teeth. The man looked saddened by his expression. The waiter calmly went to work, sweeping up the mess that Blue inadvertently made. That settled it, Blue realized. The whole restaurant had been set as a stage.

"I'd like to make it clear that we would never have treated you like this had we not serious concerns about your suspicions relating to our intentions," the man said. "We were planning on merely waylaying you when you arrived at Mt. Moon in a much more appropriate and polite manner. Unfortunately, you never came our way, and thanks to Green here, we know that you are in fact conspiring against us."

"Who even is 'us'?" Blue asked. "I know a lot less than what you guys seem to think."

"I'm Jessie, the executive leading Mt. Moon excavation project," the woman said with an extravagant pose. "James here is my second in command."

"We're co-executives!"' the man, James, protested.

"Shut up, James," Jessie snapped. "At any rate, we'd like to offer our own side of the story."

"Oh, your own side?" Blue shook his head in disbelief. "You mean the side that's no doubt behind the rapidly rising crime rate in Saffron and Celadon, practically destroying the ecosystem with all the Pokemon you catch in droves, and siccing an Ekans on me? You really expect me to listen?"

"Blue, they have a point," Green piped up. "Please, just hear them out. Their intentions are more noble than you might believe."

Blue rounded on her. "Oh, the last thing I want to hear is your opinion. You seriously led me into a trap? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Color rose in Green's cheeks. "Exactly what you told me less than five minutes ago. The only adult that's ever treated me with respect my entire life was your grandfather, and what do I learn? That he's been lying, covering up a Pokemon powerful enough to threaten the region with a thought."

"That doesn't give Rocket the right-"

"It was only because of Rocket Industries that I received my first Pokemon, that I actually have the opportunity to follow my dream of being a trainer," Green said. "I may not agree with their methods, and I definitely disagree with how you've been treated tonight, but I know when all is said and done that their goal is to protect Kanto from this… This being that Oak wanted to hide!"

James smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. Blue sneered at the motion.

"So, what's this goal anyway?" Blue asked. "What brilliant plan do you have to protect the region?"

"Simply put, it is our mission to seek out and exterminate the clone engineered specifically to end the Indigo War," Jessie said. "To reach that goal, we will do whatever we deem necessary, legal or no."

"And my grandfather?" Blue asked.

James gave him a look of disappointment. "What we covet is strength, especially in the most capable trainers of the region. You do know your grandfather's involvement in the events leading to the Indigo War, do you not?"

"I…" Blue hesitated. "I...do…"

"Then you must realize that someone as remarkable and with as much power as Samuel Oak is a vital resource in the struggle against 2.0. With Rocket's increasingly formidable arsenal, we'd stand a considerable chance."

"So, we're asking your cooperation," Jessie said. "Convince the old coot to be of assistance. Hell, join our cause yourself. Rocket Industries is the future, and we'd like you to be part of it."

"Yeah, the future," Blue said. "The betterment of the region. Only it doesn't matter who gets trampled in the process, does it?"

James let out a little sigh. "So I trust you won't be cooperating? Do keep in mind that as a hostage we can still use you as blackmail against Samuel Oak."

"It's a resounding no," Blue snapped. "Go to hell."

Jessie rolled his eyes. "Get me his Pokeballs."

"No!" Blue cried as he tried to struggle out of Venom's grip, but it was no use. A pair of the men ripped the balls off his belt and tossed them to Jessie, who grinned at them.

"Not too shabby. The famous Blue Oak's prized Pokemon." Jessie admired them for a moment before putting them into her pockets. "I think I'll just add them to my rotation."

"Officer Jessie…" Green protested. "Is this really necessary? Can't we just send him on his way?"

"So, he blabs to the authorities?" Jessie glared at the murder in Blue's eyes. "No, no. I'm afraid he won't be going anywhere."

"What about this ball, boss?" one of the men in black was holding the ball that Blue had dropped onto the floor. "You want this one, too?"

Jessie looked at the ball in interest. "What's in it?"

The man examined it for a moment. "Rattata."

"Ew…" Jessie made a face, losing interest immediately. "Keep it if you want."

"Sweet!" the man said, before clearing his throat. "Er...I mean, you're the best, boss."

James stepped up behind Blue. "Again, I'd really like to apologize for this whole ordeal. You do seem like a decent fellow."

"Yeah, you can save your breath," Blue said. "No use wasting pleasantries on a prisoner."

James shrugged. "Fair enough." In one swift motion, he delivered a chop to Blue's neck.

He slumped over immediately.

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	14. A Verbal Spar

"Dude, I don't get why it's a big deal," Rocket protested, prodding Red's neck with his tail. "I'll even keep it a secret if you want. Just tell me."

"Okay, one, I know you can't keep a secret because you spoiled Reservoir Dogs for me," Red snapped. It was an early morning day in Pewter, and the pair were finally heading out to continue their adventure. "Two, stop poking me. I will throw you on the ground, I swear to Arceus."

"C'mon, man, c'mooooon," Rocket whined, prodding his trainer even harder until he snapped and grabbed him by the waist.

"That's it," Red said, holding the Pikachu above his head. "YEET!"

With that, he threw Rocket like a soccer player would a ball out of play. Rocket screamed as he hurtled through the air, before a psychic force caught him. Rocket, hovering an inch above the ground, let out a breath of relief.

"Okay, seriously," Lucina said. She was fluttering by Red's head and she had a psychic glow in her eyes. "If you throw him again, I'm not fucking catching him."

"Aw c'mon, we're just playing!" Rocket said as she gently dropped him to earth. "I'll be sure to be there to catch you when he throws you next!"

"Yeah, I'll pass," Lucina drawled. "I have wings for a reason."

A bit of a walk later and Red and company arrived at the outskirts of Pewter, evident by the mountains standing high on the horizon. Waiting for them was a bit of a farewell party. Two of Brock's siblings held up an extravagant banner in the color of his name, and Brock had gotten a little bit of a breakfast barbecue going on.

"I see my pissants are here to see me off?" Red said with a condescending smirk, grateful for the attention all the same. Yellow brightened at the sight of him and Kenny offered him a cup of coffee.

"I'll be sure to catch your Cerulean City gym match when you get around to it," Kenny said as they shared a quick toast. "Haven't been out of this district of Kanto in years. It'll be good to see the world again."

"Ah, damn," Brock said, looking a bit disappointed as he munched some bacon. "Sorta wish I could take a break, watch your battles in person, but duty calls I'm afraid. Still, who knows? Maybe they'll broadcast them now that you're on the radar-TILLY! DON'T YOU DARE POUR THAT SYRUP ON BILLY'S HEAD! OUR SPIKY HAIR IS OUR FAMILY TRADEMARK AND I WILL NOT HAVE YOU BESMIRCH IT!"

As he sprinted off to prevent what was no doubt a deep personal offense, Kenny snorted in laughter. "Isn't his OCD just amazing?" He shook his head in mirth, before blinking up at Red. "Hey, champ, are you crying?"

Red sniffed. "I'm sorry, it's just...no one's ever been so invested in my dreams before…"

Yellow elbowed him.

"...Besides Yellow," Red said. "Ah, this is so lame, I need a tissue or something."

"Bah, nothing wrong with getting a little emotional," Kenny said. "The bravest men I know always knew when to cry. C'mon, champ, drink some coffee."

Red took a little sip, and he started a little at the taste. "Whoa, this is so delicious. Usually I can't stand coffee, but you make the bitterness work!"

"Yeah, Kenny's always been hopeless in the kitchen, but he makes a mean cup of joe," Brock said, returning as he wiped some syrup off his face. "Always tells us it kept him steady in the war."

"Let's be real, it's the only reason you guys keep me around." Kenny chuckled, before nodding at Yellow. "You really been in his corner this whole time?"

Yellow flushed at the attention. "I uh...yeah. He's always been so motivated and sure of himself...I don't know, he's just cute." She ruffled his hair under his hat.

"Hey, you're like four foot zero and you bake cookies with Oak's lab Pokemon," Red argued, nudging her. "You literally define the term 'adorable'."

"I do not!" Yellow protested. "I'm not the one who acts out his dreams in front of the mirror!"

"Well, I'm not the one who reads picture books to the baby Pokemon on Sundays!" Red shot back.

Brock gave Kenny a furtive grin. "Oh wow, they got it bad for each other, huh."

"Oh, like you wouldn't believe," Kenny whispered back, before clearing his throat. "We get it kids, you're both cute."

"You really should head back to Pallet, right?" Red asked. "Oak won't be pissed you stayed away this long, will he?"

"Yeah, you're right," Yellow admitted. "Did you have to start your journey so early? I really wanted to travel with you."

"I'm sorry, Yellow, but destiny called," Red said, posing dramatically. "And it was my solemn duty to answer."

Yellow giggled. "Solemn duty as a dork, maybe. You just kick Blue's butt next time you see him, okay? I don't want to find out I've been backing the wrong Ponyta all these years."

"Our first match ended in a draw," Red said. "Our second ended in a loss. Third time's the charm, it's fate."

He hadn't noticed Rocket had leaned over his shoulder and was now lapping off the contents of his coffee cup. Kenny snorted.

"Alright, you crazy kid, get out there!" Kenny said, clapping him on the back. Red nodded, grabbing a handful of bacon that he stuffed in his mouth as he prepared to leave.

"Hold on, Red, you want to be careful when you around Mt. Moon," Brock said. "Rocket Industries is doing some project over there, and while they technically have the permit to do whatever it is they do, I know for a fact that wherever they impose on they wind up exploiting. Their employees are less than reputable, and you should avoid interacting with them as much as possible."

Red's mouth was full, but he flashed the gym leader a thumb's up. "'OO MY DESH'INY!"

He sprinted forward, but the movement caused scalding coffee to slop his front. "OOOOOOMP!"

"God, he's lucky he's competent when it counts," Brock said, wincing.

"I'll go get him a towel," Yellow said, not looking particularly surprised.

* * *

It was chilly, but Green preferred the fresh air and ambiance of the hidden square in the heights of the mountain. Most of the tunnels of the deep caves had been despoiled by the Rocket Industries workers, the many translucent gemstones and rare Pokemon hefted off, leaving behind litter and the smell of sweat. Yet this square had been left untouched, aside from the small collection of tents lining a small pool. James had told her that places like this were what were worth protecting and to reflect on the Mt. Moon square and its uncertain future when she ever had ethical doubts about what they had to do.

Now she huddled in front of a dying fire, shivering a little as she reflected over their kidnapping of Blue the day before and for a moment ignoring her co-workers playing cards. It had become a tradition during their break time, and apparently her absence was noticed, as one of them sat down next to her.

"Staying out of the reindeer games ain't like ya, Greenie." He had wild hair and even wilder eyes, but Green had never seen Ross without a disarming grin. "Last night still eatin' ya?"

Green managed to force a grin. "I really can't hide anything from you, huh. Yeah, I guess I really did believe that Blue would understand my-er, our position. And, I hope he isn't being treated too badly."

"Well, he's er...the grandson of someone who greatly opposes our work," a pale boy, Benny, about a year or two older than Green, piped up, clearly overhearing the conversation. "It makes sense that he'd be difficult to sway."

"He'll come to our side either way," Ross said, shrugging his shoulders. "Even if he doesn't cooperate willingly, we have connections to psychic types. He'll just be...asleep, for a while."

"I think...I think I can convince him," Green said after a moment. "I know someone persuasive enough at the very least. I really don't want to just control him if we don't have to."

The one other woman in the group; the leader of this particular squad (evidence by the different shade of red the 'R' emblazoned on her chest was colored), with puffy blonde hair and a rose in hand cleared her throat. "Just don't get your hopes up, Green. Sometimes people are so stubborn that they'll just stop hearing you."

"If we pull this off, we're heroes," Green muttered as she got to her feet, intent on one final attempt to convince her friend the sense of their goals. "Why doesn't he understand that?"

* * *

Blue woke up, tied to a chair in a dark clammy cave. It sucked, though he had to admit this was an improvement to the Ekans nearly shattering his ribs.

Two men in those dark outfits stood guard outside what was clearly a man-made doorway in the rock. One of them he recognized as the man who recovered the Pokeball he had dropped the night before. While outside he could see some creature comforts (beds, tables, supplies etc.) he himself was stuck inside a small square with nothing except two glowering guards. Understanding that there was nothing he could do, he opted to stare back at them, challenging the guards to blink first.

Time passed, at a pace Blue wasn't sure. Whether it was minutes or hours, their staring contest was interrupted by the arrival of two people; Green in her classic trainer clothes, and a gangling man in a lab coat. Compared to the men in dark outfits marching about with purpose and uniformity, the pair looked completely out of place.

"Hi, Blue," Green said, not meeting his eyes. The scientist gave him an awkward wave.

"Hi, Green," Blue said, the same anger that he had the night before beginning to return. "Still think your life is way worse than mine?"

"I'm sorry for all of this," Green said, a desperate note in her voice. "But if you'd just listen…"

"Save it," Blue muttered. "How the hell did you get me here anyway? Wouldn't that have brought attention to yourself?"

Green showed him one of her Pokeballs. "Standard issue Abra. Every grunt gets one."

"So, you really are one of them, eh?" Blue said through gritted teeth. "Take off your damn shirt!"

"Excuse you!" The man in the lab coat said, shocked, before turning a bright shade of scarlet when she actually made to take it off. "G-green, this is highly inappropriate!"

"It's not what you think, Miguel," Green replied, as she pulled her shirt over her shoulders. Underneath it was a dark shirt with a red 'R' emblazoned on the center. Just like every other trainer here Blue had seen.

"To think I thought Red was the dumb one," Blue said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Less than two weeks out of Pallet and you've already joined a cult."

"I have not!" Green said, stamping a foot. "Listen to me! Is it that hard for you to comprehend that I might have a genuine reason for doing what I'm doing?"

"Well, are you aware of what this mysterious plan is, to take out this monster of yours? Do you know the identities of the people leading your so-called mission?" Green began to shy away from him, and Blue felt a savage sense of satisfaction when he realized he struck gold. "Hell, forget that, how does digging up rocks and vandalizing a beautiful landmark like Mt. Moon even benefit your cause? How much of a bone-head could you possibly be?"

"Shut up!" Green snapped. "Just like you I was presented with information that shook me to my core, so I made a decision that could potentially better the world! I'm actually doing something with what I've learned, unlike you!"

"That's not fair!" Blue protested. "I-"

"Enough, please!" Miguel said, and Green backed off. Blue went quiet as well, but only for the chance to piss off another one of his kidnappers.

"Hi, my name is Miguel," Miguel said, holding out his arm for a handshake. "A researcher and archaeologist in this, er...well we'll call it a program."

Blue looked at his outstretched arm in disbelief.

Miguel blushed. "Oh right. You're tied up. My apologies."

He cleared his throat in an attempt to move past his faux pas. "I empathize with what you're going through, Blue, and I understand where you are coming from. But as someone put in a position similar to Green, you need to do your best to understand us as well."

"Yeah?"

"You didn't live through the war," Miguel said. "A horrendous affair that had a devastating impact on our whole region as a result of the actions and decisions of a few men. When this monstrous clone ended the war, it obliterated Johtian and Kantonian alike without any care for who stood in its way. We all lost friends and family, and we never even knew what took them."

Blue had fallen silent, so Miguel continued on. "To this day I have no idea what happened to my father. He was stationed at a base that never had seen combat. Within a day the base had been razed and he had vanished. And my brother...when I visit him in Lavender Town, he doesn't recognize me.

"So, when we learn that this monster is not only still alive but left completely to its own devices…" Miguel took a deep sigh, managing to calm himself down. "You must understand that we cannot, for our own sanity, afford to let it be."

"And your reasons for exploiting the land here?" Blue asked. His tone had become softer, less accusatory.

"Aside from how much of a profit we can make off the rare Moon Stones and Clefairy," Miguel said. "With The Silph Company's cutting edge technology, we've been capable of restoring fossilized Pokemon to life. We're hoping, given our shallow knowledge of the Pokemon who lived thousands of years ago, that one might—"

"—Match the strength of the Pokemon you're trying to take down." Blue shook his head. "There it is. The crux of your faulty logic. You could be recreating the same fucking problem as before! Wasn't Rocket Industries behind the creation of the first clone as well?"

"Yes, but I know the boss personally," Miguel protested, clearly realizing he was losing ground. "He's fought the monster before, if anyone can take it down-"

"Take it down? Or try and use it as a weapon again?" Blue growled. "I sympathize with your intentions but you're making the problem worse!"

"You know what?!" Green finally snapped. "I don't hear you making any suggestions! So, unless you have some brilliant plan, I'm not interested in what you have to say!"

"I don't need to have a plan to realize yours is just part of the problem!"

"Look, regardless of you feel now, for your own health, I suggest you cooperate with us," Miguel said, sounding very tired. "You're trapped either way; if you continue to be a hindrance, they'll simply use hypnosis to force your consent. On the other hand, you could join us, learn more about Rocket, the kind of people we are. Perhaps your mind will change. Perhaps not."

"Yeah, I've learned enough about you assholes," Blue said. "Considering you assaulted me, dragged me into a dank ass cave, stole all my Pokemon, and are threatening me with mind control? Yeah, I don't need any more answers, dick waffle."

"You know what?! Fine!" Green roared. "Roll over like the pussy you are! Become a vegetable. You brought this on yourself."

She stomped off, Miguel scurrying behind her, but Blue screamed after her. "You know what your problem is?! You went through your whole life without any direction, any purpose! You never had the same drive as me, or even Red, but you wanted that, didn't you? But now that you have even a modicum of control in your boring ass life, you latch onto the first cause you can sink your teeth into! Just to feel important! You're just a naive little girl who's going to get herself killed!"

Green turned back and actually hissed in rage. "You're a coward, Oak. Just like your pussy of a grandfather."

"C'mon now, let's go," Miguel murmured, dragging her out of the room and leaving a furious Blue behind.

* * *

For once, Kenny didn't hum a jaunty little tune as he walked around the less than populated area of Pewter. The rocks were no longer mere set-pieces but big foundations, and Kenny found an old friend leaning against a particularly large one.

"Hey, Flint," he said quietly, sitting down beside the man. Flint woke up with a snort.

"Wha? Whoozat?" Flint's once spiky hair was now a greasy mop of brown, and if Kenny's beard was scraggly, his was downright shaggy. His clothes were ripped and turned, and he was caked in dirt. When he smiled up at his old friend, Kenny counted two new missing teeth.

"Hey, Ken. How's the kids?" Flint asked.

"They're your kids, Flint," Kenny said patiently. "And they miss you. Want to go visit them?"

"No," Flint said firmly. "He's watching me, remember? I'd just put them in danger. I have to stay away."

"I really wish you'd let us help you, man," Kenny said, before pulling out a flask. "Drink?"

"Booze?"

"Coffee."

"Hah! Ordinarily I'd be disappointed, but you always knew your way around a cup of joe!" Flint happily downed the cup, moaning a little at the taste.

"Yeah," Kenny said with a sad smile. "That's what Brock always says."

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's_ The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn._ Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	15. Prepare For Trouble

"Stupid...arrogant...piece of…"

Miguel watched Green nervously as she slammed the pickaxe into the cavern wall repeatedly, each aggravated strike adding twice as many cracks than the last. He cleared his throat to get her attention, but regretted it immediately when he saw the expression on her face when she turned.

"I...er….I understand why you're upset," Miguel admitted. "And you have every right to be. But, please don't take it out on Mt. Moon. I'd prefer we don't cause more damage to the place than we already are."

Green, taking note of the hesitance of his tone, managed to force herself to calm down. She dropped the pickaxe and sat down on a rock with a little huff. "You're right. It's just...all this guilt, and god, what if he's right? Do you ever have doubts?"

"No," Miguel said firmly. "We're the only ones who are bothering to make a difference. We may be doing morally questionable things, but if it saves the region, and the people who live here, it's worth it."

"Well, yeah," Green said. "But...if the people at the top are corrupt? What then?"

"That's why Rocket Industries needs people like us!" Miguel said. "Like you, and Benny, and Ross. If what Blue says is true, and the higher ups have less than noble intentions, it is up to people like us to change Rocket from the inside. Good or evil, toppling an organization as well prepared and powerful as ours grants no benefit. It is vital that we use the resources we have gained; we can't throw them away."

"You're right," Green said. "Blue needs to understand that. But, if he doesn't…"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Miguel reassured. "In the meantime...say, is that the alarm?"

"INTRUDER WITH POKEMON ON HAND HAS BREACHED THE SOUTHWEST POST! MEN ARE DOWN! WE'RE IN DESPERATE NEED OF REINFORCEMENTS!"

"Damn... " Miguel muttered, reaching for the Pokeball in his lab coat. "I'm not much of a trainer...but I don't have much of a choice. Are you ready, Green?"

"Yes," she said immediately, and the two sprinted down the tunnels in a desperate attempt to catch the intruder. "But... I don't understand. Who would be dumb enough to try and break into a well-guarded, poorly lit cave while also having the most spectacularly lucky timing in the world?"

Her hands clapped to her mouth as realization dawned on her. "Oh no."

"C'mon!" Red screamed, running as fast as his legs could carry him after his demon of a Mankey. "I thought we were past this, Jackie!"

As soon as they had caught sight of the men in dark outfits patrolling Mt. Moon, Jackie had gone ballistic, attacking everyone in sight before charging into the maze of tunnels. Red had done his best to catch up to her, but she was, well...very quick.

They had been slowed down further by the seemingly endless hordes of Zubat who lunged from every direction, shrieking into Red's ear and trying to bite at any exposed skin they saw. Luckily, Lucina and Rocket made short work of them with their psychic and electric attacks, the two of them forming a barrier of sorts on either side of their desperate trainer.

"Red, at this point, can I just hit her with a psychic blast?" Lucina asked. "This is getting annoying, and I'd prefer not to see you arrested."

"Dude," Red said, beginning to run out of breath. "She's weak to psychic moves; you'll kill her."

"Well, I'm not exactly opposed to the idea…"

"Lucina!"

"Fine, whatever."

"Oh man, I can see why Ryan Reynolds digs this caffeine shit," Rocket said, a crazed grin on his face as he blasted wave after wave of Zubats with his thunder shocks. "I've never felt so alive in my life! We need to find that Kenny guy and demand more coffee!"

"Priorities, Rocket!" Red warned, slapping aside a Zubat that got too close. "Jackie's going to kill every person in the cave if she gets her way."

"I'M GOING TO KILL EVERYONE IN THIS CAVE!" Jackie's roar reverberated around the dark tunnels. "THIS IS FOR THE FRIENDS OF MINE YOU'VE CAPTURED!"

Looker took the sound of the alarm and the panicked cries of the Rocket grunts as a good enough cue to throw a punch his fellow guard.

His plan with Blue had been a bit more complicated than the Oak had believed it to be, because the international police agent had had a feeling that Blue would be tracked as soon as he met with his fellow friend from Pallet. By using him as bait, and masking himself as one of the grunts, he was able to get a front row seat to Rocket Industries' intentions. He had sent one of his Pokemon ahead to get help, and it seemed they had arrived even earlier than expected.

And so, Looker clocked the other man in the face, to both his and Blue's shock.

"Ow!" the man cried. "What-?" He ducked as Looker threw another punch and charged at him. Blue watched as the two men grappled with one another.

"Holy crap," he whispered. "What the heck is going on!"

"Blue! Here!" Looker said, tossing him the Pokeball he had been sure to scoop up the night before when Blue had dropped it. A Rattata emerged and went to work, cutting through the young trainer's bindings.

Unfortunately, the momentary movement had been enough for the Rocket grunt to gain the upper hand, and he pinned Looker to the wall, wrapping a hand around his throat. Blue, however, now free, sprinted forward and smashed the chair upside the man's head, and he collapsed.

Looker, massaging his neck, showed off his police badge. "Not a bad job. Sorry for being so late."

"Wait, wait," Blue said, blinking in disbelief. "Looker? How the hell did you-?"

Blue's Rattata let out a squeak of warning, and a trio of Rocket grunts sprinted into the room. They held up Pokeballs, but Looker produced a revolver from a pocket and clicked off the safety.

"Oh shit, they got guns!" one of the grunts said, stepping back. The one in the back released an Abra from his Pokeball.

"Blue, don't let him escape!" Looker warned, and Blue sprinted forward, returning his Rattata to his Pokeball in his charge. The other two grunts made to stop him, but with deadly accuracy Looker shot them both in the leg.

"FUCK, OW! WHY ARE YOU ALLOWED TO HAVE A GUN!" One of the grunts screamed. "THIS IS POKEMON!"

"C'mon, gotta warn the boss!" The man with the Abra stumbled back, but Blue tackled him to the ground. The three of them vanished instantly.

"Atta' boy," Looker said, stepping over the two howling grunts. "And er, sorry about that. Can I trust you not to blab my location?"

"Today's my birthday," one of the grunts whimpered.

The grunt tried to rise, but Blue knocked him out with a kick to the head. Before he could congratulate himself, however, something purple slammed into him, and he crashed to the cave floor.

"Oh my god, not this bullshit again!" Blue hissed, as Venom the Ekans lunged for his throat. He managed to catch the snake around the neck a few inches away from his throat, and Venom snapped and hissed but couldn't land a strike.

"I'm honestly impressed that you managed to escape. What, did you get help?" Blue didn't dare look away from Venom, but from her voice and the click of her heels as she marched forward, he could tell it was Jessie.

"None of your beeswax, lady," Blue managed to growl out. The spittle flying from the Ekans' mouth was burning his skin where it landed on him. "Also, this snake is cheating. Why the hell does it get to be a rattlesnake, cobra, and boa constrictor all in one?"

"It really is unlucky that you teleported right to me, isn't it?" Jessie's laugh made him want to strangle her.

"Nah…" Blue grunted with effort as he pushed Venom back, wincing a little at the sight of his snapping, venomous fangs. "I consider myself very lucky to run into you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Blue said. "I'm going to get my Pokemon back from you, hag."

"Hah, so the twerp has some berries on him. Well, if you can actually find a way to not die, I may even oblige you."

"What, are you really trying to kill me?" Blue asked. "We both know you need me to get to Gramps."

"Oh, I have an antidote for the poison. But this is far too fun to watch! Let's see how long you can prolong the inevitable, shall we?"

"Sorry guys!" Red called as Jackie's kick knocked down yet another victim, finally coming to a stop to clutch a stitch in his side. "God, she has so much energy."

They watched Jackie turn another corner and heard shouting from the poor saps who were forced to fight against her. Somehow the merely sound of bone crunching were more devastating than when they actually witnessed her beatings.

"Maybe we shouldn't feel so bad?" Rocket asked from where he was perched on Red's shoulder, taking a breather himself. "I mean, Brock did say that these guys were pretty suspicious."

Red's response was cut off by a gagging noise. Something had finally stopped Jackie.

"Oh shit, c'mon!" Red shouted, finding a second wind. When he turned the same corner his Mankey did, however, he skidded to a stop. They had entered a somewhat wider chamber with several passageways leading in different directions. A group of men in those dark 'R' labeled outfits stood at the ready; they were like a small army.

A Koffing had released a powerful poisonous gas that had done Jackie in, and she was on her knees, retching. Red realized with a start that she must have been poisoned.

Standing in front of his injured Pokemon stood a man in a white uniform with blue hair, and a woman with fluffy hair, and a rose in hand, though wearing the same dark outfit that the others in the room. They wore matching expressions of annoyance, but the man's changed to curiosity when he sized Red up.

"So, you're the one causing the disruption, eh?" The man asked, raising a blue eyebrow.

"Er...yes sir, but I don't want any trouble." Red raised his hands in surrender. "So, if you could just return my Pokemon to me-"

"You don't understand who we are, boy," the woman with the blonde hair said, a cruel grin playing on her face.

"S-sure I do," Red said. "You're Rocket Industries. The future of Kanto!"

"Allow us to introduce ourselves," the man said with a short bow. "I'm James, head executive of this project. This is one of our squad leaders-Domino. You have quite impressive Pokemon."

"Aw, well that's nice of you to say!" Red said. "It's good to be appreciated. Y'know, I'm taking the gym challenge-"

"However," James interrupted, unclipping one of his Pokeballs. "You're clearly not fit to lead them. We'll be appropriating them now. If you surrender, we'll let you off with a memory wipe."

"Oh, I get it," Red said, nodding in understanding. "You guys are the bad guys. There's always gotta be conflict in the hero's journey, right? I can't be champion without some obstacles to face."

"What, is this some kind of game to you?" Domino growled. "Sir, just take care of him already, he's giving me a headache."

"Hey, Lucina, Rocket!" Red said. "Why don't we show them whether this is a game or not?"

Lucina nodded, her eyes glowing pink with psychic power. Rocket jumped off Red's shoulder and landed in a crouch, electricity emitting from his cheeks.

"Explosive, standby," James called, and the Koffing floated forward. "Go, Nathan!"

He threw his Pokeball and out burst a hissing Meowth, claws standing sharp and ready. They stepped out to face their challengers as the Rocket grunts murmured amongst themselves and wondered whether the new kid would stand a chance.

James smiled at his challenger. "In truth, I do hope you put up a good fight. I haven't had a good challenge in a long time, you see."

"Yeah?" Red tipped his head and flashed a cocky grin. "Well, let's give your posse a good show, shall we?"

No words needed to be spoken. Rocket sprinted forward to meet the Meowth, and Lucina was already dodging a sludge attack and throwing a psychic blast at the Koffing.

In the excitement of the battle, however, Red didn't noticed that more and more of the Rocket grunts were piling into the chamber, the room becoming a sea of black and red that ever so slowly moved to surround the distracted trainer….


	16. And Make It Double!

"Are your arms getting tired, twerp?" Jessie crooned. They were, Blue had to admit to himself. Not that he'd ever say it.

Fortunately, for the moment, Venom couldn't get at him, though not for a lack of trying. Blue could tell from his eyes that if given the chance the Ekans would maul him. It was pretty good motivation to keep those jaws as far away from his neck as possible.

This wasn't like a Pokemon battle, where he took a spectator's role and had the time to analyze his opponent and plan around them. None of what he had learned from his grandfather's class would help him here. He only had one Pokeball, and if he reached for it he'd get bitten.

An idea struck him, and he laughed a little at his own insanity.

"Why are you laughing?" Jessie asked, looking concerned. "What, did you finally snap?"

"N-no," Blue said as he shuddered under the effort of holding back Venom. "I just wanted to thank you for teaching me one last lesson that my gramps couldn't."

"And that is?"

"Battling isn't just a spectator sport." Dropping his hands from around Venom's neck, he thrust one arm horizontally towards the Ekans' mouth as it lunged. Fire exploded in his arm as the Ekans tore into it, and Blue wanted to black out right then and there. But with a scream of both pain and defiance, he held the Ekans back with his now bloody arm, the other snatching up his Pokeball.

"Ph-phebe!" Blue cried, tapping the button, and the Rattata burst from out of the ball and slammed into Venom, forcing the snake to pry its fangs from the trainer's arm as it fell backwards. Venom recovered, hissing angrily, as Phebe the Rattata stood between them, baring his teeth.

His feet shaking, Blue rose unsteadily, clutching his ruined arm. He could practically feel the toxins running up his veins.

But he was free.

Jessie snorted. "You sacrificed yourself to send out a Rattata of all Pokemon? All you've done is sealed both of your deaths."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Blue said, and he nodded at Phebe. The Rattata sprinted forward, faster than the Ekans could track, and slammed his tail down on Venom's head. Hissing in pain, Venom tried to snap at Phebe with his fangs, but the Rattata had already retreated, gaining a fair amount of distance from his opponent.

"I'm in my element now."

* * *

"Hold still, will ya?" Nathan the Meowth spat (in a Brooklyn accent for some reason) as he lunged, swiping at Rocket with his claws. Rocket ducked and stumbled back, dodging his sweeping blows, unable to throw a counter strike against the ferocity of the scratch cat's slash attacks.

An important lesson that Kenny had taught him was the importance of keeping an alertness of every facet of a battle. The environment, the expressions on the trainers' faces...Rocket hadn't been much of a fighter before, but he had learned a lot from the whimsical hiker in their long days of training.

He didn't exactly like what he was aware of, though. Three or four of the Rocket men were wrestling with Red, trying to drag him down while more of them stood by, ready to join the dog-pile. His trainer was doing surprisingly well, elbowing one of the men in the solar plexus and tossing another aside, but it was evident he would soon be overwhelmed.

Jackie was lying face down, still coughing and shuddering, and Rocket could tell she would need urgent medical attention. He looked up to see how Lucina was faring and she ...was using her psychic powers to bounce James' Koffing against the rocky walls like a pinball. So at least there was one edge that they had.

Unfortunately, in his musings Rocket was a split second too slow, and Nathan managed to scrape his cheek. Rocket hissed and slid back, clutching the line of blood on his face.

"There's more where that came from, ya pesky mouse," Nathan hissed, lunging. Before, Rocket was too reliant on his range and electricity in battles. Kenny had taught him that sometimes against an aggressive opponent, physical attacks were necessary.

"You ever watch a show called Dragon Ball, kitty cat?" Rocket asked, meeting Nathan's strike with a tiny, closed fist. "Rock!"

Without hesitation, he thrust forward two outstretched fingers, jabbing the Meowth in the eyes. "Scissors!"

As Nathan yowled in pain and clutched his irides, Rocket slammed an open fist into the Meowth's chest. "Paper!"

An electric force blasted Nathan off his feet and slapping against a rocky wall to the left of James, who turned his head so fast he seemed to get whiplash.

"That's right," Rocket said, flashing a grin and dispersing electricity from his cheeks. "This Pikachu knows a thing or-oof!"

A heavy, purple foot slammed into Rocket's chest chest, and he soon found himself pinned to the ground. Gasping for breath, he tried to rise, only to meet a horn at his neck. Realizing he was defeated, he stopped generating electricity.

Red, who had fallen to his knees when one of the Rocket grunts had kicked him down, managed to look up and wipe some of the blood off his face. Rocket watched his face grow pale as he watched a girl sprint into the room, the one who had released the Nidorino.

"Green?" Red said, disbelieving, before two of the Rocket grunts shoved his face into the dirt.

* * *

"Faster, Venom!" Jessie ordered; her voice having grown increasingly shrill as the Ekans missed Phebe again. "You're letting the rat run circles around you!"

"It's pointless, toots," Blue said. "Rattata aren't easy targets."

Still, it was all Blue could do just to stay concentrated. His arm felt like it was one fire, he figured at best he had a few more minutes of consciousness, and once he passed out, he'd be completely vulnerable. If he wanted any chance of surviving this, he'd need to nip the fight in the bud.

"I have to hand it to you, twerp," Jessie said through gritted teeth. "You're good enough to make a pathetic rat look good."

"That's not true actually," Blue managed to mumble. "Rattata manage to serve a pretty solid niche for beginners, and its cuz of their early access to a powerful move. Phebe, use hyper fang!"

Phebe's front teeth shone with a powerful light, and he darted forward once more. Venom bit at him, but he slid to the side and bit down hard on the Ekans' midsection, drawing a fair amount of blood. Phebe lifted the screaming and writhing Venom high in the air, pausing for dramatic effect before slapping the snake's head against a rock. Venom curled into a circle, unconscious, and Phebe pressed his teeth to his head, prepared to kill if necessary.

"I suggest...you surrender," Blue growled.

Jessie clicked her teeth and returned the Ekans to her Pokeball. She unclipped a second ball and out came an Abra.

"No!" Blue said.

"You're an interesting twerp, I'll admit that," Jessie said with a saccharine smile that made Blue's blood boil. "So, I'll give you a bit of a choice."

She held up Blue's belt in one hand, the rest of his team clipped to it, and an antidote in the other. "Make your choice, Blue. A cure for the poison or your old team back."

"Give me…back my Pokemon," Blue said. Despite the pause in his voice there was no sense of hesitation in his eyes. Jessie sneered and tossed the belt to him.

"But, why?" Blue asked, legs beginning to buckle. "Why would you?"

"I now know you far exceed my skill when it comes to battling," Jessie said. "So, I'm hoping your strength increases with time. One day we'll need that power. Of course, that does come with the assumption that you'll survive in the meantime. You'll prove yourself quite the worthy candidate if you do."

Blue spat at her. "Yeah, I'll join you over my dead…."

She and the Abra vanished, having teleported away.

Blue's legs finally gave out from under him, and he collapsed. A concerned Phebe ran to his side.

"Get ...help…" Blue whimpered. "Please…"

* * *

"Excellent work, Green!" James crowed, as she ran past him to see what Gerald had brought down, ignoring the change in her expression when she realized who the intruder was. "That's promotion material right there!"

Red saw the look of horror on her face before he had been pressed into the dirt, and could only hear their voices.

"Sir, I know this trainer! He likely stumbled upon here by accident. Can't we just let him go?"

"Well, perhaps he'll join us. He's skillful enough to be an asset to Rocket! Miguel, take care of the Butterfree!"

"Carmello, use thunder shock!"

Lucina's scream of pain gave Red a second wind, along with a surge of adrenaline. Whipping his head back, he felt it crack against the face of one of the grunts holding his head back, felt the grip on his shoulder loosen. Wrenching himself free and jumping to his feet, Red threw a punch at the other guard...who caught it.

"Nice try, kid!" the grunt growled, hot breath against Red's ear. He kneed Red hard in the gut, and the young trainer collapsed on his knees, emptying the contents of his stomach.

"Red!" he heard Green scream.

Red felt himself being dragged to his feet, and his eyes locked with Green's. Rocket was still pinned by a Nidorino, Jackie was lying motionless on the ground, and Lucina was struggling to rise to her feet, her wings flapping uselessly.

"Young man, please surrender," a man in the lab coat, the man who had ordered the Voltorb sitting next to him to attack his Butterfree, said as he put a hand on Green's shoulder. "We don't want to hurt anyone else more than we already have. Please, we can settle this peacefully."

"I tried to settle this peacefully," Red said, and the grunt holding him was kind enough to let him wipe his mouth. "Your executive here threatened to steal my Pokemon and brainwash me."

As the man in the lab coat grunted in surprise, James cleared his throat.

"If I may," he said. "That was before you proved yourself to be a surprisingly good trainer. Quite a potentially powerful member of our organization. So, if we could all calm down, I'll explain every-"

"Yeah, I've heard enough," a voice growled behind them. "Pleasure's yours, Kenny!"

With that, something blue flew over Red's head and crashed into the Nidorino holding Rocket hostage; a Nidorina. As the two Pokemon wrestled, Rocket rolled free, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Geo squad one!" the same, familiar voice shouted. "Apprehension procedure!"

With a flash of bright light, five Geodudes lunged forward, their arms wrapping around the grunts in complex wrestling maneuvers. The grunt holding Red hostage was caught in a full nelson by one of the Geodudes, and Red stumbled away, free. A gentle hand caught and steadied him.

A woodcutter's axe hefted over his shoulder, Kenny flashed Red his usual easy smile. "How you doing, champ?"

"Never better," Red mumbled, looking down at the vomit staining on his shirt. "Back there, was that...?"

Brock marched passed them, shirtless and looking angrier than Red had ever seen him. Right beside slithered forth a massive Onix, much larger than Samson had been, wearing a myriad of battle scars. The grunts of Rocket Industries, once menacing, now began to step back, shying away from the threatening gym leader.

"Susan, excellent job!" Kenny said. "You best fall back, girl!"

Susan, having won her fight with the Nidorino, tossed his unconscious form aside and helped Rocket to his feet as Red returned Jackie and Lucina to their Pokeballs. The Onix, meanwhile, had put his long, rocky body between his trainer and Rocket Industries as Susan dragged Rocket to safety.

"Thanks, Susan," Red said, patting her on the head after he lifted Rocket in his arms and put him on his shoulder. "How the hell did you guys find us?"

"A Growlithe delivered a message that tipped us off to whatever foul play was going on," Kenny explained. "Apparently your old friend Blue was kidnapped by Rocket with the help of your girly friend over there. Brock was looking for an excuse to go after them anyway.'

"Green? But she's not evil!" Red protested. "And, okay, like...how did you find us? And why do you have an axe? And, oh lord, is Blue okay?"

"Relax with the questions, champ!" Kenny guffawed. "Can't answer about Blue, but this axe is mostly for show; I occasionally cut down Viridian trees as a bit of an odd job, and I'm hoping I won't ever have to use it on someone. And heh, we just followed the trail of unconscious Zubat."

"So, like, Brock's here to save the day?" Red asked, still trying to catch up with what was going on.

"Yeah, and we need to get down," Kenny warned, shoving Red to the ground and shielding him with his body. "Brock doesn't hold back when he's pissed."

"Goliath!" Brock barked. "Use earthquake!"

"Wait!" Red cried. "Green-!"

The very ground under the Rocket's feet exploded and Red lost all sense of vision as dust blew into his face. The leviathan vibration of the earth, however, was enough for him to know the power of the move had been devastating.

* * *

Green hated the smell of blood. It had been so simple to manage when she'd had to stitch up Tyrone after he'd gotten into a particularly nasty fight with an Ursaring, but now the smell of copper was overwhelming and seemed to force itself into her nose.

She half dragged Miguel away from the screaming and the shaking ground. He had been hit by something in the earthquake, trying to protect her like an idiot, and while the Rocket grunts had desperately tried to rally, Green focused on just getting him somewhere quiet. His Voltorb, Carmello, was rolling along with them silently.

Finally, he collapsed with a dull moan, and with the sudden increase in weight she was forced to give up and lean him up against a wall. She looked down at the blood seeping into his coat and spilling from his mouth.

"Okay, we can take a break, but only for a second, because there's no doubt we're going to be followed," Green said. She wiped his matted hair from his eyes, and a spark of hope ignited in her when she noticed his eyes hadn't gone glassy.

"I...I can't see well without my glasses," Miguel managed to say. "How does it look?"

Bracing herself, Green opened his coat. Jagged rocks had pierced into his chest. A particularly big one was deeply embedded in his stomach.

"I…let's not talk about that, shall we?" Green said, trying for a winning smile. "Come on, I can teleport us-"

"N-no!" Miguel said forcefully, and he grabbed her arm with surprising strength for one with his wounds. "You need to go back there, lead them out. What I said before, it hasn't changed!"

"Please, don't push yourself," Green said. "Right now, we can—"

"Forget about me, Green," Miguel pleaded. "They'll call medics when they see me; I'm not a threat anymore. You need to help our brothers and sisters. It's up to you to change the world, all right? You need to keep in mind both sides of this conflict and act accordingly."

"I don't…"

"Rocket has the resources to potentially end the threat against Kanto, and old Oak has powers that we only dream of," Miguel said. "You need to use them, make them better! It's the only way we'll ever..." He broke down, coughing.

"Miguel, I don't know…." Green looked down at her bloodstained shirt. "I think I might've made a mistake."

"You're the only one I can trust with this," Miguel said. "Please, for my father, my brother, even if it's for me...you need to promise me you'll make a difference."

What else could she say? He was probably dying. "I...okay, Miguel. Whatever this horrible clone is, I'll do whatever I can to stop it. I can promise that at least."

"Then go back there," Miguel urged. "Lead them, show them the right way to be. And take care of Carmello for me."

"I will," Green said, and he nodded in thanks and handed her his Voltorb's Pokeball. As she returned to the chaos of the earthquakes and loud shouting, Green did her best to ignore the sound of his breathing getting slower.

* * *

"Abra, use Tele-"

Green slammed James up against the wall. "What the hell are you doing? Where's the rest of the rest of the men?"

"I ...they're holding off Brock so I could escape?" James said with a weak smile. Green slapped him across the face.

"We can't leave anyone behind, James! They're our friends!" Green said. "And our best hope at saving Kanto!"

"Well yes, but…" James looked down, ashamed. "What hope do we have in trying to fight a gym leader?"

"I have a plan," Green said. She took off again, marching right back to where she knew Brock was obliterating the Rocket grunts unfortunate enough to fight back against him. "Is your Koffing still able to battle?"

"Well, yes, but barely," James said, running to catch up to her. "The twerp's Butterfree did a number on him!"

"Yeah, that 'twerp' is our ticket out of here," Green said. "And all I need your Koffing for is one simple move. Come on!"

The so called 'battle' was very one sided. Never had Green seen the power of a gym leader up close. Despite the Rocket grunts' superior numbers, the Onix swung its body around, hurling well aimed rocks and creating earthquakes every time his tail struck the ground, and no one could even get close. The one poor Golbat that managed to close the distance found itself speared on Goliath's horn.

"Officer Domino!" Green called. "I need you to order everyone to retreat via Abra!"

Domino, who was hiding behind a boulder, winced as the Onix threw a Cubone well over her head. "How? A moment's pause and Brock will overwhelm us!"

"Let me handle that!" Green said, nodding to a panting James and running out to join the pitched battle. It was a crazy move, probably an idiot move, but she didn't hesitate in flying past her fellow men and right towards the powerful Onix.

"Goliath!" Brock snapped a finger. "Use stone-"

"NO!" And Red suddenly took to the field, blocking the Onix's line of fire. "That's my friend!"

Just as Green had predicted.

The two trainers of Pallet stared each other down, the battle coming to an abrupt start as neither side was willing to risk hitting the other, though it seemed it was talking all of Brock's composure not to attack.

"James, now!" Green said, and James barked at his Koffing to create a smokescreen. A powerful black smog coated the room, covering the grunts and giving them time to tend to their wounded. Only Green stood outside the smoke, and she released a Pokemon from its ball.

"Everyone, teleport!" Green said, and the sounds of Abras could be heard as they were released from their Pokeballs. Green nodded to her own Abra.

"Wait, Green!" Red cried. "What's going on? Why are you doing this?"

Green gave him a sad, small smile. "Sorry, Ash."

And then she vanished from sight.

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	17. A New Meaning

The first sense of Blue's to awaken was his hearing. The sound of flanged voices….

"We'd like to state again with absolute certainty that we were in no way affiliated or supportive with and of the imitators perpetrating the Mt. Moon fiasco. Rocket Industries was not aware of what was going on in those mountains, though we make no excuses regarding our lack of knowledge to the corruption of some of our lower branches.

"In fact, both Rocket Industries and The Silph Company will be collaborating to entirely pay off any damage caused."

"Rest assured, changes will be made to ensure a situation like this never happens again. There's a lot we need to apologize for, especially regarding the unfortunate death—"

Blue's eyes fluttered open. Death?

He was lying in a hospital bed, and, since he had spent several days strapped to a chair in a dark cave, it felt like he was sinking into a marshmallow. The room was well lit and decorated with blue curtains, and a tray of food stood on the nightstand next to his bed.

A weight on his chest nearly caused him to panic, but when he pushed his head up he saw it was only Princess, his Eevee, curled into a tight ball and napping. Relief washed over him.

Looking back at the television, he saw two men apparently being questioned at a press conference. Both were smartly dressed in business suits, though this is where their similarities ended.

A handsome, well-groomed man with cropped blue hair seemed to be the one doing most of the talking, and he did so with such charisma and conviction that soon the crowd was applauding him. Blue recognized him as Archer, the top administrator of Rocket Industries.

Even more iconic was Scott Silph himself, who didn't seem interested in meeting the interviewers' eyes. He was quite a deal older than Archer, stouter, and with a nervous tick that spoke of far less comfort in public speaking than his friend. It didn't take a genius to tell he was being strong-armed.

The questions asked gradually changed from accusatory to curious, and before long the two men were boasting about The Silph Company's cutting-edge technology and Rocket Industries' scientific advancements. Blue had grown so furious watching them that he hadn't noticed his grandfather entering the room until he cleared his throat.

"Hi, Blue, I'm glad to see you're awake." Oak looked exhausted. His eyes were very red, and his hair was tousled, but when he smiled it was relieved and genuine. "How are you feeling?"

Blue's opinion of the professor had paled since his fateful meeting with Looker, but he was still a sight for sore eyes. Blue managed a weak grin.

"Just peachy, Gramps. All ready for the next adventure."

He sat up and was struck with a wave of nausea that made him want to lie down again. Oak stepped forward to steady him.

"Eat," Oak ordered, placing the food tray on his lap. "You haven't consumed anything in a long time and you lost a fair bit of blood. Not enough to need a transfusion, but still…"

"Hey, I'm not gonna complain," Blue said, realizing just how famished he was. Oak seemed content watching his grandson shovel Cerulean seafood into his mouth. It was silent for a few minutes.

"We in Cerulean City?" Blue asked through a mouthful.

"Did the sea air give it away?" Oak asked with a smile.

"Nah, all the blue. It's so weird to see after how subdued Viridian and Pewter were," Blue said. "Like stepping into a foreign world."

"The rest of the students said about the same thing," Oak said. "We really should have had more excursions in our classes."

"They're here?"

"Indeed," Oak said, turning to leave. "In fact they'll be relieved to hear you've woken. I'll go get them now."

"Hold it, Gramps," Blue said, wiping his mouth. "I think we both know we need to talk."

Oak gave a shaky little sigh, and he closed the door he had just opened. "Yes, we do. I'm sure you have questions about what transpired after you fell unconscious?"

Blue nodded. "Is Green okay? Did they escape? Who was attacking in the first place? Who rescued me? Looker?"

"No, Looker was the one who dragged you into the unfortunate mess in the first place," Oak said, not without some bitterness. "Your Rattata was fortunate enough to find Brock, who was, by the way, the one who defeated Rocket."

"Yeah, and how did Brock know how to come after Rocket in the first place?" Blue asked without missing a beat.

"You know, you're too smart for your own good," Oak muttered. "Yes, it was Looker who sent them ahead, but that doesn't change the fact he put you in danger."

"I'm not defending his actions, but it sure as well was a smart move to play," Blue said. "We won, didn't we?"

"That's a loaded question," Oak said. "Rocket was run off and some were captured, yes, but most escaped, including...well, Green. In truth such a move wasn't even a setback for them. If anything, now Looker's involvement has been revealed."

Blue's head hurt. "Gramps, I don't understand. How is Rocket Industries protected from this? We caught them red-handed."

"You caught what they claim to be mere imitators red-handed," Oak said. "And the ones we've caught claim the same. I can't blame you for anything that's happened, but you must stay out of this whole conflict. You'll get hurt, or—"

"What does any of that matter?" Blue snapped. "I've heard the horror stories about the end of the Indigo War, and how your solution was just to ignore it. Now Rocket's taking matters into their own hands, and you need to take responsibility for it!"

Oak had gone white. "We'll...I can handle Rocket without your involvement. I have connections…"

"But you won't fight the clone."

"We've had peace with it," Oak said. "For years there hasn't been an incident…"

"And when that inevitably changes?" Blue said. "We need a plan."

"I already have one, and it's working."

"No, it isn't!" Blue said. "All you're doing is stalling! People have decided on solutions without your help, Green included, and even if Rocket falls you think people will just give up? Green might not have made the decision she did if she didn't feel burdened with your own failure!"

"Then I'll continue to push them down," Oak growled. "Whatever necessary. Fighting that monster is suicide."

"Are you the same man who fought against Johto because you believed that it was false to treat Pokemon like deities? You're telling me that Kanto, the region of self-reliance, of taking matters into our own hands, is deferring to a single entity?" Blue had woken up Princess, and she jumped to the floor, shying away from the argument.

Blue spat on the floor. "Because that sounds just like Johto to me."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Oak protested. "You haven't seen what that monster can do in person!"

"I'm not saying that it isn't hard!" Blue shouted. "But we're Kantonian, dammit! We bite off more than we can chew and spit it-"

"HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR FATHER DIED?!" Oak screamed, finally losing his composure. It was only for a moment, but when he saw the expression on Blue's face he sank down into a nearby chair.

"...What?" Blue whispered.

"I... you're so much like Gary," Oak mumbled, head in his hands. "He had made the same argument you did, called me a coward, and he was right, but...by the time I got there it was too late and he was l-lying there."

Blue had known his mother had died giving birth to him, but Oak had never told him anything about his father. It was a rabbit hole his sister had warned him not to go down a very long time ago.

"I...I don't know what to say."

"I wanted to kill it so badly," Oak said, his voice breaking. "But I couldn't...it was far too strong. It threatened to destroy Kanto, so, I bartered. If we left it alone, he'd leave us alone. It was the only solution to keep you safe."

Blue had never seen his grandfather cry before, but as the old man stood there were tears mingled in with his growing fury.

"You and Daisy are all I have left. I'd do anything to protect you," Oak said. "If that means bowing down to a god I don't believe in, I'll do it."

He marched out of the room but paused for a moment. In the doorway. "Stay away from Looker. He's going to get you killed."

"Jesus, how many truth bombs am I gonna get in like, one week?" Blue said, shaking his head in disbelief. He watched Princess cautiously walk up to him and gave her a smile.

"I missed you sweetie." He gathered her in his arms and stroked her behind the ear. The Eevee purred began to purr, a content smile on her face.

"At least I know you'll never betray me. Or lie to me my whole life. Or-"

* * *

Oak was in a daze as he walked through the busy hospital hallway, too busy formulating plans. He'd visit the Elite Four, meet with Lance. The dragon master would understand his position-

"So, I don't get it. Is every kid from Pallet Town named after a color? Is that an intentional gimmick?"

Oak had missed the international officer earlier, too preoccupied by his grandson's well-being to be concerned much with his surroundings. But there, in one of his ridiculous costumes (in this case, an engineer with a broken arm), was Looker, sitting in the waiting room, watching Oak closely.

Oak changed paths, pulling out the one Pokeball he had brought with him, an ultra ball, out of his coat pocket. He thrust it right under Looker's nose.

"You understand the Pokemon I have in here, yes?" Rage permeated his voice. "It has the power to level this hospital with ease. Imagine all that strength, focused on you."

If he had intimidated Looker, it didn't show on his face. "Are you threatening a police officer?"

"I'm threatening a police officer who's operating outside his legal jurisdiction. One who almost murdered my grandson."

Looker rose to his feet. He gave Oak a very sad look. "I'm very sorry for what happened to him. He fought bravely and I regret using him as, well…"

"Bait?"

"Yes," Looker admitted. "But it had to be done. And he performed beautifully."

"It's Blue, he always performs beautifully," Oak said, waving Looker's praise away. "I don't care about your pointless ambitions, but don't you dare drag my family into it. If anything happens to him I promise I will deal with you directly."

"He's an adult now," Looker argued. 'Whether he continues to help me or not is up to him."

"Then you'll have to make an effort to avoid him," Oak said. "Just stay as far away from him as possible."

"Then will you cooperate?" Looker said. "You know as well as I do that Rocket needs to be put down, even if our views on the clone unfortunately differ."

Oak hesitated. "Since they're a threat to the clone's tranquility... I will. Under another condition as well, however."

"And that is?"

"Green will not be harmed in any way. We're going to bring her home," Oak said.

"You know she was responsible for many of the enemy's escape," Looker said. "Not to mention the reason Blue was captured."

"She's a little girl," Oak snapped. "All three of them, Red, Blue, Green. They've become caught up in something way out of their league, out of some misguided sense of responsibility. And you're exploiting that."

"Maybe," Looker said, with a noncommittal shrug. "But it's necessary. I'll never feel guilty for doing what's necessary. I agree to your terms. We'll talk later."

With that, he returned to the newspaper he was reading, leaving a fuming Oak to storm off.

* * *

"Dude you gotta granddaddy issues," John said, nudging Blue's left shoulder. "I could hear old Oak's screams all the way outside!"

"Yeah, bro, did you notice he's been smoking again lately?" Jack said, nudging Blue's right shoulder. "Shit's been going down, man."

Yellow was clinging to Blue's chest like a monkey, and she was practically sobbing into her shirt.

"Hey," Red said, standing near the door a bit awkwardly, Rocket perched on his shoulder. He was sporting a black eye and a few bandages on his face and arms, but otherwise looked unharmed from the skirmish of Mt. Moon. "Maybe we should all give him room?"

Blue chuckled as Jack and John backed off. "I don't know, I'm thinking Yellow's not going anywhere anytime soon."

He looked down at her shivering form and patted her on the back. "Hey kiddo, I'm fine. You really can let go now."

"We're the same age," she mumbled into his shirt. "And nobody said the journey was going to be so dangerous! You and Red nearly gave me a heart attack! And apparently Green's…"

"Yeah, uh...I have questions about that too, actually," Red said. "Why is Green siding with the bad guys? They're, well...evil, and she risked her life to protect them."

"She's being an idiot," Blue growled, quite savagely, and it caused both Yellow and Red to flinch. "Did Gramps catch you up?"

"Yeah, uh...something about a really powerful monster blowing up Kanto or something," Red said. "Can't we just like...beat it up?"

"Apparently it's not that simple," Blue said. "Is my team all right? No one got hurt?"

"Yeah, we've been watching them," Yellow said, wiping the tears from her eyes and sliding off the bed. She leaned down to pat Blue's Eevee. "Princess here wouldn't leave your side though."

"Dude, you gotta tell us what went down there!" Jack said, and John nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, like, what got you so hurt? Red got way less hurt. Does that mean like...he's way better than you as a trainer?"

"Context, you two," Blue said, rolling his eyes. "I had to sacrifice a bit to gain a necessary advantage."

"Oh dude, it's so incredible," Red said, awe inspired. "Like, this Ekans pinned him down, right? And he only had one Pokeball on him, so he like...sacrificed his arm to send out his Pokemon and it was metal as shit!"

"Wait, how the hell could you possibly know that?" Blue asked, casting Red a suspicious glare.

Red blushed. "Lucky guess?"

"Anyway," Yellow said quickly. "What are we going to do about Green? She's with those Rocket jerks right? Don't we need a plan?"

"Well, nobody's exactly making it easy to come up with one," Blue said. "Gramps is no help, Green herself is willingly working with a gang of criminals, and from what I was watching just now, Rocket Industries is getting away with all of what they're doing. Everything feels so stubborn and static."

The room fell into a bit of an awkward silence.

"So, we don't do anything?" Red asked.

"Why are you all looking at me?" Blue snapped. "Do what you want, I'm not your babysitter. Look, if I run into those assholes again, I'm going to fight back, but I'm nowhere near strong enough to take down a freaking army of them. Red, how did you even get out of there alive?"

"Oh dude, Brock saved my ass," Red whispered. "I even got to see him use Goliath."

"Whoa, bro, THE Goliath?" Jack said. "The one who fought in the Indigo War?"

"That's right!" Red said. "Guys, it was so cool! He took them all on at once!"

"For now, let's just leave it to the gym leaders, alright?" Blue said. 'We don't even know what we're getting into, and I know I for one am not risking my career as a Pokemon trainer to get myself killed like Green."

The thought of how Brock handled the situation was a lot more comfortable, and the students nodded in agreement.

"Good, now get out of my room," Blue said. "I need my beauty sleep."

Yellow gave him a quick kiss on the forehead and they stepped out, though Red still looked like he needed to talk about something. Blue nodded at him to get him to spill the beans.

"Dude, you heard Brock killed someone, right?" Red said, now looking uncomfortable.

"I heard there was a death on their side, yeah," Blue said. "What was his name?"

"Some scientist from Pewter named Miguel," Red said. "I think...Brock knew him. He's taking the death pretty hard. He thinks he went overboard with his attack."

"Oh." Blue fell back on the bed. "Miguel."

"You knew him?"

"I met him. He actually seemed...not as bad as some of the others. Kind of in a similar situation as Green."

"Well, he nearly killed my Butterfree," Red said. "So I don't feel too bad for him. He knew what he was getting into, yeah?"

"He definitely did," Blue said, dully. "I just hope Green does."

"We...we are going after her, right?" Red asked, biting a lip. "I know you said we'll leave it to the gym leaders to them, but..."

"I don't know, man," Blue muttered. "Sorry, I'm tired, can you—?"

"Oops, right!" With that, he was out of the door.

Blue's eyes didn't close. He simply rhythmically pet Princess and thought of Miguel. He had told him that his entire family had been victims of the clones, and now he was one too. Would there even people to mourn him?

Apparently, Blue's father himself was a victim. Just how big was this monster's death count?

Blue supposed he ought to feel something? A desire to avenge his father's death and all that? Why wasn't he more upset? He supposed he never knew his father, so that could be it.

Still, a slow, competitive spark was beginning to ignite inside him. Whatever this being was, it was a Pokemon. That meant it was fallible; mortal. He may have turned out to be a hypocrite, but Oak had always claimed that the human spirit was indomitable, and that anything could be conquered with enough conviction and hard work.

That message had been Blue's lifeline, his purpose. He had put years into learning how to train Pokemon, to excelling at all of his studies, and now he stood, with a trainers' license and a gym badge, concrete proof that his efforts had paid off.

Now came the real conflict. An abominable, god-like creature with complete control over the region, and a group of organized criminals willing to exploit, and damage said region to destroy it. Besides each other, both could act without any fear or challenge from the rest of Kanto. Even his badass grandfather, the man he once idolized, was too terrified to make a move.

Slowly, a smile tugged on Blue's face. With what little challenge his journey had been so far…

Maybe this was what all of his agonizing efforts were meant for.

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	18. Visions

Teleporting was something that Green would have to get used to. Oh Arceus, the spinning.

Bright, flashing lights burned into her eyes, and a cold shiver ran up her back during the brief moment she felt herself literally materialize out of existence. Her feet hit the ground hard, and she stumbled several steps until her legs buckled and she fell on her back.

She was expecting the shock of pain that would no doubt come when she hit the rough, rocky earth, having grown accustomed to it since the start of her internship, but her landing was a soft one. Blinking a few times, she found herself surrounded by bright green grass and the smell of a well kept lawn.

Propping herself up on a shoulder, she watched the rest of her allies materialize around her, some more gracefully than others. Some, like her boss Domino and her friend Ross, hit the grass without even stumbling, while poor James keeled over, emptying the contents of his stomach.

The thought of Miguel alone in the cave springing to her mind, Green pushed herself to her feet and looked up to the Abra floating above her head. "You need to teleport me back to Mt. Moon right now!"

"I'm afraid it doesn't work like that," another of her friends, Benny, said, walking up to her. His ordinarily pale face was almost as green as James'. "Abras aren't particularly powerful psychics yet, so they're only trained to know a few distinct locations. This is the closest one."

"And where are we anyway?" Green asked, desperately trying to formulate contingencies.

"Not far from Lavender Town; a few klicks east of Saffron City."

"That far?" Green said, any plan in her brain wiped away by the sheer impossibility of their location. "But Miguel, we have to-"

"Miguel was dead moments after you left him," a new voice said, and when Green turned, she realized that their location made sense..

They were on the grounds of a manor.

Walking down the stretch of grass between them and a rather impressive white mansion were Jessie and a woman with raven colored hair. Though Jessie was demonstrating her usual strut, it was the woman walking beside her that Green's fellow grunts were shying away from. Her eyes were pink, and when they met Green's they seemed to stare through her. Green felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up when she realized she knew who this was.

"There's no use in going back," Sabrina, the Saffron City gym leader, said, and she gave Green a look of pity. "There is already discussion of a funeral, though Miguel has no relatives well enough to attend."

Green's mind was overloading with questions, but for some reason her mouth wasn't working. James used her interim silence as an excuse to interject.

"I understand this fiasco may reflect poorly on me as an executive," James said. "But there was a spy that we had no chance of-"

Sabrina's hand twitched, and James' hand jumped to his mouth, cupping it. His eyes bulged, and he thrashed, as though he were struggling for air.

"Oh, breathe through your nose," Sabrina snapped. "And I don't want to hear your excuses, Jameson. It was foolish of you to recklessly capture such an important target. You've drawn attention to yourself and could very well have jeopardized our mission."

She seemed to release whatever hold she had on him, and as James let out a gasp of air, she turned to Green, holding out a gloved hand. Green shook it, very wary that she was just as susceptible to Sabrina's powers as James if she made a mistake.

"I wish you wouldn't call me by my full name," James murmured, but Sabrina ignored him.

"I've heard a lot about you," Sabrina said. "If you don't mind, I'd like to speak with you privately in my room. I'm sure you have many questions."

"Technically it's my room," James protested. "Just because I've allowed Rocket access to my family mansion does not mean-"

Sabrina glared at him. "You really don't know when to be quiet." James wilted and he began to offer weak apologies. Sabrina merely rolled her eyes and looked back to Green, who was finally able to speak.

"Er, but why me?" she asked. "I'm brand new, surely I'm not of interest."

"On the contrary," Sabrina said, offering a small smile. "You've earned quite a bit of my respect for your handling of a desperate situation, and if you're willing to accept it, I may just have a promotion for you."

* * *

Growing up in Pallet, Green was used to small cottages that often had only one bedroom. In fact, the most impressive establishment was Samuel Oak's laboratory. Pewter, though a bustling city, was quiet and mostly void of any style or attraction (the museum didn't count.) Neither place had anything so extravagant as James' manor.

The garden was massive, and dotting it were hedges cut in the shape of various beautiful Pokemon. She passed a fountain depicting some diminutive mythical Pokemon spraying water from its mouth. And then, once they entered the great mahogany doors, there was the interior of the manor itself! Green felt like she were a princess in a castle.

Half a dozen butlers greeted them, and Green found herself surrounded by platters of cakes and pastries and tall glasses of wine. She found herself declining everything, too overwhelmed by how lavish her surroundings were. James and Jessie both looked interested in trying some of the La Rosette, but a stern glance of Sabrina was enough to keep them walking.

They had left the rest of their team back with Domino, who began barking orders about their next assignment, and though her voice had been aggressive and intense, Green knew she'd rather be with them. For one, Green had at least spent enough time with Domino to understand her leadership style and how to thrive under it, and for another, her fellow grunts had become good friends of hers. Now she was wandering into new territory.

Sabrina was probably one of the most famous gym leaders in Kanto, and not only for her skill as a trainer. She herself was rumored to be a psychic, and judging by how easily she had silenced James, it didn't sound like mere superstition. Next to her, Green was a nobody from Pallet Town, the lamest settlement in all of Kanto. What interest could a powerful mind like Sabrina possibly see in her?

By the time they had finished marching up a staircase with red carpeting that seemed to stretch for eons, James and Jessie both looked fit to collapse. Then they did collapse.

"Don't you live here, James?" Green asked.

"I'm still your commanding officer," James said through haggard gasps. "Watch what you say!"

"Yes," Sabrina said, looking down at the exhausted duo, seemingly not fatigued herself. "A fact that will clearly need to change. You two will wait up here while Green and I talk in my room."

"Yes, ma'am," Jessie murmured. It was astounding to see a woman that Green had believed had so much confidence seem so pathetic out of her element. Sabrina was simply a different animal entirely. Green quickly followed Sabrina down an ornate hallway full of modern art and potted plants to a surprisingly, rather shabby looking door that seemed quite out of place. Sabrina opened it and gestured for Green to enter.

Though it was well kept, it was tiny, a large desk taking up most of the space of the room, and a few bookshelves against the walls taking up the remainder. Hell, the bathroom to the right seemed like it had more space.

"Forgive the lack of comforts," Sabrina said, sitting at one side of the desk while Green took the other. "I'm of the opinion that material objects are a sign of weakness."

"Yes, but, there's no bed in here," Green said. "Where do you sleep?"

Sabrina blinked, as if she was puzzled by the question. "I float. In the air."

"Ah," Green said nervously. "Of course."

Sabrina cleared her throat. "Before I get into what I want to tell you, I'd like for you to take this time to ask any of the many questions I'm sure you have about what happened at Mt. Moon. I want to be sure that we're on the same page.

"Right." Green did have about a million questions, but one certainly took priority. "Miguel, are you sure he's—"

"—Passed," Sabrina said, regret tinging her voice. "He lost too much blood. Some of the rocks dug deep into—well, I'll spare you the details."

"And, did anyone else—?"

"No," Sabrina said. "No other casualties, though some were captured. My agents are dealing with them presently."

"Your agents? What exactly are they doing?"

"Well, they are gifted psychics, and we'll be altering the memories of the members of our organization who were detained. Nothing major of course," Sabrina said quickly when she saw the look on Green's face. "But enough to protect Rocket Industries. They'll soon believe they were freelancers with stolen Rocket uniforms. Fortunately, thanks to you, the majority of our men escaped, so the story is a bit easier to swallow for the authorities."

"But what about the people who apprehended us?" Green asked. "They know better."

"I assume you refer to Red and Brock," Sabrina said. "Luckily, they weren't met with any definitive proof that the thugs they fought were part of a greater organization. Of course, faces were seen, but that just means those involved with the Mt. Moon project will need to lie low."

"And Blue?" Green asked quietly. "Where was he taken?"

"Ah, that's where the real threat lies," Sabrina said. "Blue escaped with someone who infiltrated our ranks."

"What?" Green hissed. "But he was told everything! Doesn't that mean that entire branch was compromised? Am I compromised?"

"You are," Sabrina said. "But there's an opportunity to be had here."

"What opportunity?" Green shouted, for a moment forgetting who she was talking to. "I'm a fugitive now! I get dragged into an organization that's about to be exposed—"

"Not Rocket Industries," Sabrina said. "One eyewitness account is not enough to topple such a powerful and beloved organization, especially with the support of the Silph Company.  
His claims will be written off as stress induced, and they have the money to pay off any lawyer that could pose a threat to them. I'm sure Samuel's already informed his grandson about this. You, however, are officially a fugitive. Sorry."

Green moaned, slamming her head against the desk. "And you can't wipe Blue's mind?"

"I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. The detained grunts who are having their minds altered have already been trained to consent, with the understanding that lying is easily detected; they need to believe what they say. With someone like Blue Oak, who will no doubt oppose us...it'll be an ugly fight. It'll cause a massive amount of commotion, commotion that we can't afford to make. Even if it works, it's highly likely that Blue's mind will be damaged beyond repair."

Her eyes gleamed. "The last thing the boss wants is permanent damage to such a powerful potential asset. We need all the strong trainers we can get for the fight against the clone."

"This was a mistake," Green moaned into the desk. "I'm going to prison."

"I won't deny you've found yourself in a horrible position," Sabrina said. "Which brings me to my promotional proposition."

"But I don't understand," Green said, finally lifting up her head. "What could possibly be so special about me? I'm just a rookie who was dragged into this."

"I won't deny that a part of the boss's interest in you is your familiarity with the Oaks," Sabrina admitted. "But my personal investment comes from my respect for your character. I'll be frank; our organization is fraught with less than respectable people. Hell, look at the two boneheads we left unconscious at the top of the staircase."

Green snorted, a laugh somehow escaping from her throat. "Why were Jessie and James even hired? How did they get so high up in management?"

"Well, aside from the fact that they're satisfactory trainers," Sabrina said. "Jessie is a legacy. Her mother was very close with the boss's family. Jessie didn't exactly inherit her skill set though."

"And James?"

"Well, his full name is Jameson Backlot, heir to a powerful, foreign family that's existed for a very long time. He funds our projects, and this manor has been a good base of operations. Where he fails in competence, he makes up for in money. You must understand why people like you are vital for Rocket."

"I'm afraid I don't?"

"You risked your life against a gym leader to protect your fellow man," Sabrina said. "Miguel and I often met in secret, searching for someone to lead, and from what he always told me he believed you were of strong moral fiber. That when we finally did destroy the clone, you could help steer us in the right direction instead of leaving Kanto in the hands of criminals."

"Yeah, well, apparently, Miguel is dead!" Green snapped. "The only reason I'm not having a panic attack right now is because I have to compartmentalize my shock. Now I have the slightly more pressing matter of being a criminal! I'm a girl from a small town, and I'm way over my head!"

"I understand your concerns, but-"

"But, what?" Green slammed a fist down hard on the desk. A tiny voice in the back of her head told her Sabrina would probably murder her for this, but Green could feel everything she held inside her crash down like a waterfall "My life is over, my best friend probably hates me, and I don't even know if the cause is just! I've been an idiot!"

"Green," Sabrina said, very quietly. "Miguel told you what the clone did to Kanto in the war. What that monster is capable of-"

"And that's all I have!" Green shouted. "Words! I've seen no proof that this thing even exists, or if it does, we can even stop it! Someone's dead, and it may have been for nothing!"

Sabrina didn't say anything, as Green ravings broke into gasps. She watched as the young trainer stood up and turned to the door.

"I can give you a moment," Sabrina said. "I understand a lot's happened."

"No," Green said, but she didn't turn back around. "Just… what would you have me do, anyway? Can you protect me?"

"To an extent," Sabrina said. "Whoever infiltrated Mt. Moon and rescued Blue Oak managed to escape, but we suspect he's likely to hit up Celadon and Saffron; the two cities that publicly host Rocket Industries. We'll be sending you to our allies in Fuchsia, who are far more covert. There you'll receive training before you'll lead project Substitute."

"Substitute?"

"You've been compromised, so you'll use your leaked position to keep Rocket Industries out of suspicion. You'll be leading a gang of your fellow compromised Rockets to commit a string of crimes to draw attention. Now, I know that sounds bad…"

"You said you found material objects to be a weakness," Green interrupted, gesturing to her chair. "May I?"

A smile played on Sabrina's lips. "By all means."

With a shout of rage, Green kicked the chair into the desk, shattering it into smithereens. "So now I'm going out of my way to be what basically constitutes as terrorism?!""

"Okay, that's a fair response," Sabrina said. "But this is precisely why you're necessary for this task! I can't trust most people to not take advantage of this position. It needs to be someone like you, someone who can hold back the rowdier people in out forces from causing serious damage."

Green rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You know what the most shitty part of this situation is? If I resist, I'll be forced to comply anyway! I was trapped the second Oak let me do this stupid internship!

"How do you trust this organization, Sabrina?" Green said. "How can you possibly have faith that this is for the best?"

"I don't trust this organization," Sabrina said. "I certainly don't trust the boss. But I am a psychic, and I do trust the vision I see in my dreams every night. The clone wreaking havoc across Kanto, millions dying. And etched in my mind is the one scrawling line that predicts a single hope for the future, the only chance Kanto has. 'Rocket is the key to destroying the clone'."

"Well, I don't have those visions!" Green said. "So that's not enough for me. If I'm going to throw away my life for a cause, I better know and trust what I'm fighting for with every fiber of my being."

"Green, I can show you," Sabrina said, and a red aura began to shine in her eyes, proof of her psychic power. "Though I have to warn you of a potential risk, because any psychic actions are like a beacon to the clone. I think we'll be safe, because I doubt you're of particular interest to the clone, but the risk is always there…"

"If you can show me, do it," Green said. "Not knowing is agony."

"Well, it won't be pleasant," Sabrina said, leaning forward and reaching out a hand towards Green. "Sweet dreams. Try not to die, please. The clone wouldn't appreciate being conspired against."

"Wait," Green said. "You're putting me to sleep—"

Sabrina's hand clasped Green's arm, a blinding red light flashed from both their eyes, and Green's vision went white.

* * *

She was in a crowded laboratory, pushing through bustling crowds of excited scientists. She herself seemed to be a scientist in this vision, as she was wearing a lab coat over a very ugly red suit. She felt an itch under her nose, that she thought might've been a mustache, and she was apparently wearing a very odd pair of round, red tinted sunglasses.

Apparently, she was someone of renown as well, as everyone she passed seemed to applaud and shake her hand. They mouthed words of encouragement, and soon she was being pushed through the thickest part of the crowd, to where a massive test tube stood surrounded by excited scientists writing down notes.

There it was. The clone. It didn't seem to have much room here, as its arms and legs were tightly locked, and it was floating in an uncomfortable position. Its eyes were closed, but she had the feeling it wasn't sleeping.

No one seemed to notice when the cracks began to form on the tube glass. She did, and she felt a wave of panic overcome her when the body she was in didn't respond. It was only when the webbing of cracks began to expand and the fluids began to drip from the tube that people began to notice and shout orders that she couldn't hear.

Several of the scientists at their computers pressed something, and a thick fog began to descend over the creature in the test tube. Were they trying to sedate it? The clone had made no movements, even when the webbing of cracks began to form, but as the smoke consumed it, its purple eyes shot open.

Now, her body was moving. It was stumbling backwards, shoving people out of its way as it tried to escape the room. She didn't hear anything, but the test tube finally exploded, glass flying in all directions, and the first row of scientists collapsed as blood began to seep from their white coats.

Her body had turned away from the thing now, throwing people behind it without any regard of what the clone would do to them. Unseen explosions caused the very floor beneath them to shake, and in the corner of her eye she saw a man fly over her body's head and slap against a wall with what she could only assume was a horrible crack. Her body was dashing for the emergency exit when a sudden pull yanked it back, past pools of blood and dying men and destroyed machinery, and-

The force pulling her back turned her body around, and for a moment Green was staring into purple eyes exuding sheer hate-

And the scene changed.

She was looking over a pitched battle, one she was quickly able to recognize as from the Indigo war. Men in purple uniforms, the Indigo Resistance, were charging up a beachfront to a formidable looking fortress, guns blazing, most of them collapsing from returning gunfire or from the attacks of Pokemon that Green didn't recognize. The men from atop the fort, firing their own rifles with deadly accuracy were the Johto United, clad in golden uniforms emblazoned with the insignia of the legendary beasts, the most powerful military in the world. It was evident by the littered bodies of Kanto soldiers staining the beach with red that they deserved their reputation.

Powerful Pokemon from Kanto that Green recognized, Rhydon, Scyther, Primeape, were released from some of the soldiers' Pokeballs and lunged into the fray, but were quickly bogged down by the Pokemon the Johtians threw out in response. One was a massive bear that ripped through a Kanto Resistance man like paper, and a powerful bird clad in steel let out a vicious screech that she couldn't hear. The men on the beach all froze, dropped their weapons and clutched their ears in agony. This made them very easy targets for the Johtian sharpshooters.

She had heard that the Indigo War had stretched into Johto after Kanto had gotten some momentum, but on their own turf they seemed to be unbeatable. Yet Kantonian soldiers still continued to charge up the beachfront, seemingly ignorant to the fact that no one had even made it close to the forts.

That was, until a blast of psychic energy obliterated the fortress's outer wall. She had forgotten about the clone.

Any sense of uniformity was gone as the monster landed on top of the rubble of what was previously a very formidable fortress. Soldiers were thrown by invisible forces of energy, and when the few that managed to rally began to open fire on the monster it simply waved a hand, creating a bubble around itself that deflected the bullets. Its long, purple tail shot out, wrapping around a man's neck and lifting him into the air. The man tried to struggle until the tail twisted and his neck snapped. The clone tossed him to the side and focused its efforts in destroying the vulnerable city the fort now failed to protect, tall buildings crumbling from the power that shone from its eyes alone.

The Kantonian soldiers gathered on the beach, staring blankly at the carnage the clone was leaving in its wake. Presently, its eye flashed back to them, and the clone swished its fingers. A wave of energy blew behind it, throwing men off their feet and sand blowing through the air, the entire Kanto resistance falling back into the ocean they had come from.

Then it was gone, and she could see in the distance explosions lighting up the Johto coastline—

The scene changed again.

She was in another cave. She was beginning to hate caves. She was lying on the ground, apparently too injured to move. Once again, her body moved on its own, turning its head to its right, and—

She wondered if she could vomit in a vision.

Lying next to her in a pool of blood, was a corpse. What was once its face had been crushed into an unrecognizable bloody pulp. Hanging from its ruined neck though, was a familiar looking necklace; Blue's necklace. Was this a vision of the future or-?

Pain exploded in her chest, and she could feel someone scream? She couldn't even tell if it was her or the body she was viewing the world from. She was forced to look up as the clone floated to them, its dreadful tail slithering in the air like it had a mind of its own. It formed a dark ball of energy in its three fingered hand and pointed it at her body. Once again, she found herself in a panic, fighting desperately to move, and for once her body seemed to have the same idea, to no avail. Her body looked down at one of its legs, which was twisted in a very wrong direction. There was no way it would be able to escape.

A pink barrier appeared between her body and the clone just as it threw the dark ball of energy, and it held strong, though She felt pain shoot up her leg at the vibration the impact left. Of its own accord, the body turned to see a Mr. Mime maintain the barrier, sweat beading its face, and a young, yet familiar woman crouched beside it.

Was that Delia?

She had known Red's mother for a very long time, but she had never seen her like this. Young and full of life, with a look of fearful determination on her face. She unclipped a Pokeball from the belt around her waist (She had never known Delia owned Pokemon), but before she could throw it her eyes widened and she began to scream with the same agony that She was feeling. Her body turned back to the clone, who was staring without expression at the pair, as though it weren't busy destroying them from the inside.

The pain didn't stop. It was like every atom, everything that made her, Her, was being prodded and burned, like her whole identity was vanishing. She didn't know who she was, only that this existence was pain, that death would be preferable to this, that anything would be preferable. She was begging to leave, to just shrivel up like a raisin and not feel anything—

And the pain stopped. Or, it had stopped. It took Green a moment to realize she was back in Sabrina's room. She was also a blubbering mess.

"I'm sorry," Sabrina said, looking quite pale. "That was too far. I... can I get you something?"

"No, no," Green said, though she couldn't stop herself from shivering. "I'm okay. I just need a minute."

"Those are the dreams that I have every night," Sabrina said, very softly. "So you understand my desperation to kill the clone. The fact that it lives, unimpeded... I can't stand it."

"Miguel said something similar," Green mumbled. "I don't think I really understood it until now."

"Are you with us, Green?" Sabrina asked. "Though I can't say Rocket Industries have exactly the soundest methods, we want above all else to make sure that monster can't hurt anyone again."

"I don't…" Green whimpered.

"It's okay, Green," Sabrina said, in as soothing a voice she could muster. "I'm sorry, I understand completely if after what you saw you can't face it, I know for one that I—"

"No," Green said, and Sabrina looked up in confusion.

It took Green a few seconds to answer, but when she did, it was with clarity and with her eyes locked on Sabrina's. "I don't think I have much of a choice. I'm in."

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	19. A Rose, By Any Other Name

"I think I like Cerulean," Red said through a mouthful of pancake. "There's not as many old people around. Old people creep me out, man."

He and his Pokemon were seated at a small diner practically overflowing with young couples, who were so loud and enough that his Pokemon could speak to Red without any worries of being overheard. Just to be safe, Lucina had created an invisible bubble around their table that she assured them could block out sound.

"It's the city of love, kiddo," Rocket said. He was drinking syrup from the container, and it was beginning to spill down his front. "Specifically, teen love. Urgh."

"Rocket, you're making a mess," Lucina said, telekinetically snatching the syrup from his paws and yanking it over to where she and Jackie were sitting. "We're in public, stop acting like a child."

Of course, Jackie took the opportunity to snatch up the syrup pouring it down her throat when Lucina wasn't looking.

"So, what did you guys want to do?" Red asked as he wiped down Rocket with a napkin, the Pikachu grumbling and shooting out sparks of electricity in embarrassment. "The gym reservation is set in a few days' time, so in the meantime I thought it'd be nice to do some sightseeing around the city. You guys know of any cool landmarks?"

"Well, there's a beautiful golden bridge on Route 24," Rocket said. "But it's chock full of horny teenagers. There's supposedly a mysterious cave on a distant island that will no doubt be plot relevant. There's a bike shop, and-ooh, apparently there was this house that got broken into. We could check that shit out, maybe throw rocks at the police officers—"

"Wait, a bike shop!" Red stood up suddenly. "I've always wanted to ride a bike!"

"Yeah, but have you seen the price for a good bike these days?" Rocket asked. "It's literally like nine hundred, ninety-nine thousand—"

"Dude, it'll work out!" Red said, sliding out of the booth and running for the diner exit. He let out a whoop of joy as he slammed into the doors and charged into the daylight.

"What are the chances that 'it working out,' will just mean he's going to steal the bike?" Rocket muttered.

"Pretty good, considering he didn't pay the food bill," Lucina muttered.

Rocket groaned and slapped himself in the face with his tail. "Sleep powder or thunder wave? Which move will stop him more effectively?"

"Well, sleep powder's a bit more peaceful, but it's also inaccurate. Thunder wave will cause a scene, and it'll definitely be more painful."

"Alright," Rocket said, hopping off his seat. "Thunder wave it is. Stall the waiter!"

* * *

Professor Oak checked his watch, jumping a little when he saw how late it was. "Where the hell are they?"

He was standing awkwardly by the front desk of the Pokemon Center lobby, waiting for his students. Only Yellow stood at the ready, her bags neatly packed. "The taxi's going to be here any minute. Where are Jack and John?"

"Oh, um…" Yellow tapped a finger to her chin. "They were playing air hockey, but then they got too aggressive and accidentally broke it. I think Nurse Joy is still yelling at them."

Sure enough, a few moments later, an angry woman in a nurse's uniform stomped into the lobby, dragging the two boys by the ear. Judging by their whimpers of pain, she had a death grip.

"Sincerest apologies," Oak said, "I can pay for any damages-"

"Don't worry about it, Professor," Joy said with a smile that did not reach her eyes. "As long as these two—" she squeezed on their ears and they both yelped. "—Learned their lesson."

"We did, we did, please let us go, scary pink lady!" Jack moaned.

"Jesus, woman, your strength is inhuman!" John gasped.

Joy rolled her eyes and let them go. They collapsed on the floor, clutching their wounded ears. Yellow giggled.

"We're about to leave, boys," Oak said. "I trust you have your bags?"

"Bags?" Jack asked blankly.

Oak probably would have murdered them right then and there, if a far more obnoxious person didn't fly into the Pokemon Center, screeching like a banshee.

"Yes! I feel so alive!" Red said, ringing the bell on is new, pink bicycle as he peddled at top speeds across the newly waxed floor. Rocket was sitting in the small basket in the front, screaming bloody murder before Red finally lost his balance and trainer, Pokemon, and bike, fell head over handlebars, straight into Oak's neatly piled luggage. Yellow giggled louder as Oak looked fit to blow a gasket.

"Red," Oak grounded out, as the young trainer's head popped out of the vast ocean of askew suitcases. "This isn't the time to use that."

"Sorry," Red said, pulling Rocket out of a duffel bag by the tail. "But I got a bike! I've never had my own bike before!"

"How could you possibly afford a bicycle?" Oak asked. "They cost about a billion—oh no."

"I just had my Butterfree use sleep powder!" Red said, smiling.

"What?"

"Oh, don't give me that," Red snapped. "They were clearly price gouging! There's only one bike shop in all of Kanto, and they've used their monopoly to their advantage to sell their bikes at outrageous, and quite frankly, illegal, prices. We should really inform the local police."

"Two wrongs don't make a right!" Oak tried to say, but Red drowned him out by repeatedly ringing the bell on his bike.

"Dude," Jack said, looking at the bike's floral patterns. "That's a girls' bike."

"It's so cute!" Yellow gushed.

"Yeah, what are you, dumb?" John asked. "That's totally a girl's bike."

"It is?" Red asked curiously, surveying his new bicycle. "Then I'll name her Delilah."

"No, you idiot, I'm not referring to the bicycle's gender, cock muncher. You're riding a bike meant for girls."

"Yeah, numb nuts," Jack piped up. "If you're gonna steal a bike, at least make sure it's a cool one, glue sniffer."

"I'll have you know that Delilah is perfect!" Red snapped. "Her seat is nice and soft, she comes with a bell, and she has a nice basket for my Pikachu to sit on. I wish to travel in comfort!"

He turned to Oak, who was massaging his temple. "Hey, how's Blue doing? Is he getting out of the hospital soon?"

"Well, he's cleared to leave tomorrow, but after that he's no doubt going to be swamped by reporters and paparazzi," Oak muttered. "He was popular before, but now that he was involved with this whole Rocket fiasco, he's pretty much a celebrity. I just don't want it to go to his head."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty much a celebrity myself you know?" Red said, showily stretching himself out. "I just got invited to be interviewed for a talk show. Besides, back at the cave I didn't even get captured the whole time, so I mean, that makes me way more impressive than-"

"That actually reminds me." Oak reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a Pokeball. "I have a present for you."

Red looked at the ball in wonder as the professor handed it to him. "Whoa, what's this even for?"

Oak leaned down and hesitantly patted Red on the shoulder. "I know what happened in Mt. Moon to you must seem like a grand adventure. But I've been getting recommendations to offer the services of Pokemon trained in helping people overcome traumatic event. I'm not sure if it will even be necessary, but this Pokemon is essentially to help you feel better, hopefully cope with what you've gone through."

"Wait, so this is like a therapy Pokemon?" Red asked. "Can it still kick ass?"

"Yes, this was a waste of time," Oak snorted. "The two of you are the most stubborn and strong-willed kids I've ever met in my life. Still, if you ever need comfort, hopefully your new friend here will help."

He suddenly looked very awkward, even a bit embarrassed. "Of course, you can also talk to me as well, though I'll admit it's far from my forte."

"I mean, I'm fine," Red said, smiling up at the professor. "But thank you! I'll never say no to more Pokemon!"

"Well, we're heading out," Oak said, squeezing Red's shoulder. "Yellow, will you be joining us?"

"Nah, I'll find my own way home," Yellow said. "You know I always do, Professor! Have fun on the way back!"

Red and Yellow watched as Oak, Jack and John dragged their suitcases to the revolving doors. Red poked Yellow on the shoulder.

"You're staying?" he asked.

"Yeah, I've always wanted to go sightseeing around Cerulean," Yellow said. "I'm so grateful you and Blue went on this journey so early; I've been getting so many opportunities to travel!"

"Yeah um..." Yellow watched him shift from foot to foot, clearly steeling himself up for something.

"Well, uh, maybe if you wanted to walk around the city tonight, just the two of us…" Red tried not to blush as he spoke, and he didn't meet her eyes. "Maybe we could visit the bridge or something?"

"Why?" Yellow's smile suddenly became playful. "Is this a date thing?"

"Um...maybe, only if you wanted," Red muttered. He glared at Rocket, who had begun to make kissy faces.

"Well," she elbowed his arm. "Maybe we'll see how things go? I'll see you tonight."

She gave him one last smile and skipped out of the Pokemon Center. Red began to make choking sounds.

"Hey, kid, you wanna breathe?" Rocket asked, scurrying over to his flustered trainer. "C'mon, in and out."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine!" Red grumbled. "Not a word about that to anyone else, got it?"

"All right, I promise," Rocket said, winking to Nurse Joy from where she stood behind her reception desk. She had been practically swooning at their display.

"Anyway, it's time to reconvene back in our room," Red said, holding up the Pokeball Oak had given him. "We gotta meet our newest friend."

* * *

Red's team swarmed around his queen-sized bed, staring down at the Pokemon sitting on it, having just been released from his Pokeball. Resembling an amphibian, its most interesting feature was the bud growing on its back.

"Oh shit, you're a Bulbasaur," Red said. "You guys are supposed to be really rare."

"Hello!" the Bulbasaur said with a very wide smile. "I'm here to keep you from being sad and stuff!"

"Oh right, the whole therapist thing," Red said. "Well, listen little buddy, I'm actually not that sad at all, so-"

"Preposterous!" the Bulbasaur said. "You're clearly hiding your trauma behind a thin layer of confidence."

"Sounds like anything in Red's life, to be honest," Lucina murmured.

"Hey, zip it," Red snapped at his Butterfree. He took a deep breath and shrugged. "Well, okay. Say, hypothetically of course, I have this, like, deep seated trauma, what will help me feel better?"

"Well," the Bulbasaur said, taking a moment to concentrate. A puff of sweet smelling powder shot from his bulb. "There! Doesn't my excretion soothe you?"

Red winced. "Well, it probably would if you didn't call it 'excretion.'"

"No, no, it's nothing gross! I just absorb a lot of energy from the world around me and turn it into—"

"Okay, topic change!" Rocket piped up. "Listen, kid, I can tell you mean well, but though we were in a pretty dangerous situation, everything was okay. No one got hurt, and it's not like any of us went through anything particularly traumatizing."

"Well, I mean, a bunch of those guys punched me so hard I threw up," Red admitted, giving the Bulbasaur a thumb's up. "But yeah, other than that, I'm just peachy!"

"Hmm… I'm not sure my training ever prepared me for this much denial," the Bulbasaur said, looking down awkwardly. "Maybe it's because I'm new, I don't really know how to deal with human emotions very well."

Rocket shot Red a warning look, and he nodded, clearing his throat. "Well, you know, I'm moving on from the horrible experience by battling Pokemon. Are you a good fighter?"

"Not particularly," the Bulbasaur said, now ashamed. "I wasn't really bred for battling or anything."

"Listen, Pokemon don't start out that powerful," Lucina said. "I started out as a weak ass caterpillar. Red trained me to be a badass butterfly with psychic power."

"I'm like, the weakest Pikachu of my people," Rocket admitted. "But now I'm stronger than I ever was. Trainer influence is pretty incredible."

They all looked at Jackie, who merely shrugged. "Hey, don't look at me. I was always tough."

"The monkey aside, you have just as much potential as the rest of my team," Red said. "If you really want to help, I'd be happy to train you as well."

"I'd love to!" the Bulbasaur said, dancing on the bed with his stubby little feet. "I used to watch official matches on television. I never dreamed I could be one of those Pokemon myself!"

"We just need a nickname for you," Red said, striking a thoughtful pose. "I'm thinking, since you got that plant thing going on, 'Groot' would be perfect!"

"Groot?" Groot said, sounding the name out in his head. "Sounds tough!"

"Oh, my freaking-is THAT why I'm named Rocket?" Rocket hissed in disbelief, electricity beginning to generate around his cheeks.

Red smiled as a sudden idea popped in his head. "You know...if you really want to help me, er, get past my deep, deep trauma, I may have a mission for you."

"What? Really?" Groot asked, hopping up and down. "I'll do anything!"

"Find me a Charmander," Red said, his eyes beginning to go misty at the thought of the fire type. "A great Charizard, circling the sky, ready to obliterate Blue's Pokemon...I would be so happy."

"Not this again," Rocket moaned.

"Yes! Done!" Groot said, making a saluting motion with his vine. "I'll catch the strongest Charmander in the land."

"Red, Charmanders are not indigenous to this part of Kanto," Lucina said. "You're setting the kid up to fail."

"Thanks for volunteering, Lieutenant Lucina," Red said. "You'll be reporting as second in command to Captain Groot."

"I'm a captain now? Sweet!"

"You know that phrase 'if looks could kill'?" Lucina snarled at Red. "Well, in my case I literally can murder you just by staring really hard."

"Aww but you love me, though don't you," Red cooed, rubbing Lucina's head. The Butterfree growled and turned away.

"Ooh can I come along too?" Jackie asked, infected by Groot's enthusiasm. "Can I be a private?"

"Why would you want to be a private?" Rocket asked. "Privates are literally just—"

"Sure thing!" Red said. "Serve Captain Groot well, Private Jackie!"

"Yay!" Jackie said, clapping her hands.

"So, am I just joining this little platoon as well?" Rocket asked, clearly dreading the answer to the question.

"Actually, since I'm stuck here waiting for that news reporter to call me, I figured we could…" Red bent down, digging through his bag. "Damn it, where is it? Bicycles take up so much room I swear to—found it!"

He jumped up, holding up a copy of Cowboys & Aliens in his hand. Sure enough, Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford were posing on the cover.

"Oh my god, let's elope," Rocket whispered. "Our love will be taboo, sure, but I'll gladly raise our hybrid babies alongside you."

"What was that, bud?"

"I said, cool, bro, let's watch it."

"Well, we'll be off!" Groot said, opening the door with a vine. "Have fun watching your weird little box office failure!"

"I want him off the team, Red," Rocket growled.

* * *

Groot crouched beneath the tall whistling grass of Route 25, staring at the golden Nugget bridge and the couples taking pictures along its barriers, intent on searching for unique Pokemon. Unfortunately, all he had seen so far on the route were some Oddish basking in the sunlight and a few Pidgey descending over the bridge to scavenge some scraps dropped by the tourists.

"Psst, Lucina, how's the world from above?" Groot said in his mind. He grimaced at the sound of her voice in his mind, still not used to the sensation of telepathic communication.

"I really don't know what you're expecting," Lucina was saying. "The chances of finding a Charmander in the wild are about a billion to one, and they certainly wouldn't be found so close to water like this."

"Well okay, you raise a pretty good point," Groot said. "But I can't leave until I find that Charmander!"

"I can." The psychic link disconnected, and Groot watched as Lucina flew back over the bridge.

"Wow, she's kinda a jerk, isn't she," Groot said, feeling a bit put out.

"Little bit, yeah," Jackie said, hopping down from her vantage point atop a tree to pat him on the shoulder. "But it's cool, we don't need her to find a Charmander."

"Maybe we can ask some of the locals for help!" Groot said. He turned to an orange lizard who was shooting jets of fire to scare a Pidgey away from a berry bush. "Excuse me, but have you seen a Charmander around?"

"Nah, dude," the orange lizard said, biting into an oran berry. Finishing his snack, he turned to leave. "Good luck, though!"

"Thank you for your time, sir!" Groot said, waving with a vine. "What a pleasant gentlemen."

* * *

"Oh, thank Arceus it's over," Red whispered as the credits displayed on the flat screen television. He and Rocket were lying on his bed, the two of them having annihilated the pile of (hopefully complementary) hotel snacks between them.

"What the hell are you on?" Rocket said, head stuck in a Pringles can. "That movie was amazing."

"Are you kidding?" Red winced at the memory. "Those aliens looked terrible."

"But the cast was so freaking good! Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde-"

"Look, I see your point, but-"

"JOHN CARRADINE! JOHN CARRADINE WAS IN THAT MOVIE!"

"He was not! That was Keith! John's been dead since 1988 you idiot!"

"Was he the one that won the Oscar for that Nashville song?"

Red's reply was cut off by a loud ringing. "Oh shit, they must be calling for my interview!"

"Fine," Rocket murmured, finally managing to remove the Pringles can with a pop. "But this discussion ain't over."

Sticking out his tongue at his Pikachu, Red pulled the telephone up to his ear. "So, how we gonna do my entrance, Conan? I say I moonwalk over to your couch and—"

"Even I thought your head couldn't get any bigger. Though I suppose I should probably learn to stop expecting any form of restraint from you."

"Oh," Red said, in such a different voice from earlier it caused Rocket's ear to twitch. "Hi, Mom."

"You didn't call me after what you went through in Mt. Moon. I was worried."

Red dropped the phone from his ear and put a hand over the receiver. "Hey, Rocket? Is it all right I have the room for myself for a bit?"

Rocket jumped down from the bed and scurried over the door. "Sure thing, kid. But are you sure you don't want me here for moral support?"

"I think it's probably for the best if I'm alone right now," Red said. "Go hang out with the rest of the team. I'm sure they've given up trying to catch a Charmander by now."

As Rocket closed the door behind him, Red lifted the phone back to his ear. "You need more money, Mom?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were alive. I know you think so little of me, but honestly that's it."

"Mom, I don't—"

"I was told you won your gym battle, by the way. I was shocked you didn't call home to brag about it."

"Listen, I don't want to fight with you—"

"And I'm not calling to fight with you either. I know by now that trying to convince you to do anything is pointless. You won't give up and you seem to have actually improved. I think I get it now."

"I uh...yeah." Red knew that he shouldn't encourage her, shouldn't fall for what was so obviously a trap designed make him feel even worse, but he just couldn't help himself. "And what's that?"

"It was foolish of me to think that you'd never get better at what you clearly are so passionate about. I thought that if you explored other avenues, learned a trade, got a decent job, you might even excel at life. But that's not the case. Hell, this Pokemon training thing might've even been what you were made to do.

"But it doesn't matter. Because no matter how much you try, no matter how much you improve, the best you'll manage is just another version of yourself. You were born into failure, into mediocrity, and that's something that you can't escape. It's something you inherited; the role of a stepping stone for people of greater talent."

Red found his voice, but when he spoke it was shaky. "That's not true."

"Isn't it? And how many times have you beaten Blue Oak? At anything? Or have even come close?"

She took his silence as his answer. "You can do what you want now, because I'm done holding my breath. At least call sometimes, all right?"

She hung up. Red gingerly put down the phone and he allowed himself to fall backwards on his bed. He stared at the ceiling, painted blue. How apt.

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	20. Fire

"So, er, what is a Charmander anyway, Groot?" Jackie asked. "Like, what do they look like?"

It was late afternoon, and the two Pokemon had searched for a Charmander for hours. The sun was beginning to set, and the way it reflected on the water under Nugget Bridge was pretty, so Jackie and Groot decided to take a break to sit by the riverbank. Groot was content to simply stare at the current and the fish struggling against it, but Jackie had grown restless and began to skip rocks down the stream.

"Well, I've heard the professor say both Charmanders and my own species are two of the three starter Pokemon for trainers, each representing fire, water, and grass," Groot said. "I've never seen a Charmander, but they'll have to be either a water or fire type, right?"

"Probably a water type," Jackie remarked. "The -mander probably stands for salamander, and they're amphibious."

"Oh, true," Groot said, beginning to jump in excitement, until he lost his balance and nearly fell into the water. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Maybe we were just looking in the wrong place! Let's take a swim!"

"What are you two still doing here?" a sudden voice behind Jackie said, and the Mankey shrieked. She threw a punch out of reflex, forcing Lucina to swerve out of the way.

"Whoa, whoa, I come in peace!" Lucina said, and Jackie paused mid-swing. "Arceus, you could've taken an eye out."

"Yeah, yeah, I still got anger problems I gotta sort through," Jackie said, blushing.

"You came back, Lieutenant!" Groot said, smiling. "I knew we could count on you. But er...how did you just materialize behind us like that?"

"Oh, well, I did some training-" Lucina vanished, before reappearing on Jackie's other side. "And now I apparently can teleport."

Jackie screamed again, and this time Lucina was too slow to dodge. Her fist smashed into the Butterfree's face, and she hit the grass.

"Shit, sorry!" Jackie yelped.

"Okay, that's it, I'm leaving," Lucina muttered, rubbing her injured face.

"No, no, don't leave!" Groot said, helping Lucina up with a vine. "We think we figured out how to catch a Charmander. All we need to do is dive into the water-"

"Why would you do that?" Lucina said. "The only Charmander you'll find in a river is a dead one."

"Pardon?"

"They have fire at the end of their tails. If that fire goes out they die."

Groot blinked. "Pardon?"

"Wait, so Charmander is a fire type?" Jackie asked. "Oh no...they wouldn't happen to be bipedal lizards, would they?"

"Uh, yeah," Lucina said. "How do you not know what they are? Red's ranted to us about them a thousand times!"

"Shit, shit, shit!" Jackie moaned. "I can't believe it!"

"Well, that's kinda an extreme reaction," Lucina said. "Look, this whole expedition was dumb, let's just head home, and-"

"No, you don't get it!" Jackie said. "We literally ran into one! Hours ago! He was just standing there!"

Lucina stared at the Mankey, unable to believe her proverbial ears. Jackie had clapped a hand over her proverbial mouth, and for a moment, no one spoke, silenced by the weight of the realization.

"...Pardon?" Groot asked.

"Holy shit, we gotta go, little buddy!" Jackie yelped, sprinting up the grassy ledge they had been relaxing on. Groot tried to run after her, but he tripped halfway up on his stubby legs and rolled right down the hill, falling into the river with a splash.

Lucina watched as Groot burst out the water and scrambled after a still shrieking Jackie, giggling and yelling at her to wait up.

"Our success is not at all adjacent to our actual competency," Lucina remarked, before she took flight as well. "How in the hell did we actually find a freaking Charmander?"

* * *

Yellow took a final turn and found herself right in front of the door leading to Red's Center room, Rocket standing in front of it and gesturing for her to hurry up. She had been wandering around the neatly paved streets of Cerulean when the Pikachu had found her and demanded she follow him. She wasn't sure exactly was going on, but she could tell Rocket was very concerned, and with a turn in her stomach, she realized that something must have happened to Red. Hesitantly, she knocked on his door.

"It's Yellow," she said, a little annoyed at how soft her voice was. Sometimes she wished she sounded braver, more confident and powerful, like Green. "Is everything all right?"

"No," came Red's choked reply. "Don't come in."

"Why not?"

"Cuz, um...I'm crying and stuff."

Yellow smiled a little and opened the door. Red was lying on his bed with a pillow on his face. Yellow walked over and, upon noticing all the empty snack bags, threw Rocket a pointed look. Blushing a little, the Pikachu began to clear the mess away, allowing Yellow to climb the bed alongside Red.

"C'mon, Red, let me see you," Yellow said, pulling the pillow away. Red groaned and wiped at his face. He wasn't crying now, but she saw when he looked at her that his eyes were still red.

"Sorry," Red said, managing a sheepish smile. "Not very macho of me to get all weepy."

"I think it's very manly and mature to be so open about your emotions," Yellow said. "It's kinda a rarity with boys. Never apologize about letting yourself feel."

"Thanks, Yellow," he said, and she hugged him. He was as big and warm as always.

"Is it, er...your mom? Did she call again?" Yellow asked after a moment.

"Yeah," Red said, and to Yellow's disappointed he let go of her. "I-I don't know. She always has this way of getting into my head...making me feel like crap."

He looked at her for a moment, almost expectantly.

"Er, are you waiting for me to deliver a rousing speech, convincing you to push past your mothers' words and better yourself?" Yellow asked.

"Uh, a little."

"Well," Yellow said. "I don't think I need to. Red, you're one of the most amazing people I've ever met. You've lived with this woman for years, listened to her constant verbal abuse, and look where you are now! I don't need to give you a motivational speech, because you've spent your life motivating yourself."

"I never really thought about it like that," Red admitted.

"I didn't ask what she told you, because it doesn't matter!" Yellow said, beginning to pick up traction now. "This is just another one of her episodes she has that you move past. You haven't even taken off your nerdy little hat!"

"It's not nerdy," Red said, placing a defensive hand over it.

"You know what you remind me of, Red?" Yellow asked. "One of those Charizards you're so obsessed with."

"Wait, really?" Red's face actually brightened up at that. "You mean, like because I'm super tough and can fly and use draconic blasts of energy—"

Yellow giggled. "Well, sure, of course. But, well, let's put it this way. When I walked into your room and looked into your eyes, do you know what I saw?"

"Tears?" Red asked. "Disappointment? Pain?"

"Fire," Yellow said. "I saw fire in your eyes. That fire, just like a Charmander's flame, is your life force, Red. It defines you; it keeps you going. And through sheer willpower, no matter how much it rains, I know no amount of water will ever put it out.

"I could give you this impassioned speech about ignoring what your mother says and pressing on despite the setback, but all I'd be doing is reiterating what you've already convinced yourself, long before I even knocked on your door."

Red watched as she took a few deep breaths, having clearly worn herself out. "I mean, you kinda delivered an impassioned speech anyway."

Yellow smiled. "I can't help it; you bring it out of me." She scooted over so Red could wrap an arm around her.

"Thanks, Yellow," Red said as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I know you don't think so, but I really needed to hear that. But you're right, I really am a badass!"

"See? That didn't take long."

"It's getting kinda late," Red said, looking out the window. "Do you wanna go out to that bridge? Maybe just spend a little time alone?"

"Sure!" Yellow said. "Let's get out of this stuffy room, anyways."

As they slid out of the bed and headed for the door, Red felt a sudden weight; it pushed from his leg to his shoulder, and Red turned to see Rocket sitting there with a small smile of his own.

"Thanks for getting her, bud," Red said, scratching his Pikachu behind the ear. "You're really getting to know me well, aren't you?"

* * *

The Charmander opened a bleary eye to see a fuzzy monkey with a pig nose smiling at him. "Howdy, I'm Jackie!"

Instincts keeping him alive, he jumped back, avoiding the Monkey's sweeping kick. He crashed back through the little hamlet he had made to sleep in, his swinging tail lighting it with fire as he fell. Landing in a roll, he jumped to his feet to see Jackie sprinting forward. Growling, he shot an ember attack that she was forced to dive to avoid.

"Alright, what the hell?" the Charmander growled. "I was napping."

Vines wrapped around his arm, pulling him right towards the now charging Jackie. The Charmander kicked her away, before yanking on the vine holding his arm. The Bulbasaur who had sent out the vines yelped as he was thrown forward, and the Charmander swung his flaming tail, slapping him aside.

"Not that I'm not having my fun, but I'm gonna need an explanation now," he rasped, flames forming in his maw.

"We're just here to catch a Charmander for our trainer." A Butterfree was now descending between him and the fallen Pokemon, her eyes glowing with psychic power. "So, why don't you make this easy for us?"

"Trainer, eh?" the Charmander said, and his tail's fire grew hotter, more powerful. "I won't say no, but you're gonna have to work for it."

The Mankey had jumped to her feet, eager to rejoin the fray, while the Bulbasaur seemed somewhat more cautious, backing away. The Charmander figured he'd be an easy target once he took down the bug and the primate, so he opted to ignore the runt for now.

"I have to ask first though, what the hell is a Charmander doing in this part of Kanto?" the Butterfree asked. "It's pretty unprecedented. Are there more of you?"

"I was a trainer owned Pokemon," the Charmander said with a shrug. "This was where I was released. For not being good enough. I waited for him to come back too, and that's when the rain hit."

"Whoa, what loyalty!" the Mankey, Jackie apparently, said, swooning. "You stood in the rain atop a rock, waiting in mortal peril for the trainer who would never come!"

"What the hell? No way!" the Charmander said, wrinkling his nose. "I would have literally died. I'm not suicidal! I ditched my trainer's stupid ass."

"Oh," Jackie said. "Well, that's a bit less romantic."

"That being said, I learned a thing or two, being a trainer owned Pokemon," the Charmander said, giving his opponents a mean smile. "I won't be easy to take down."

"Let us decide that," the Butterfree growled, releasing a psychic blast. The Charmander jumped to avoid the move, spinning to meet Jackie as she threw herself at him. He ducked under her jab and swung his tail in an attempt to trip her. She jumped over it and he grinned.

It had been way too long since he'd been in a good fight. He'd been getting bored of napping and foraging for food all day.

* * *

It was pretty late in the evening when Red pedaled Delilah over to Nugget Bridge, Yellow sitting on the handlebars and Rocket peering out from the basket. Unfortunately, Red hadn't figured out how to stop yet, and he couldn't see well in the dark, so he and his Pikachu crashed while Yellow straddled the handlebars like a gymnast and jumped to safety.

"Breaks, Red, breaks," Yellow said, helping him to his feet. Rocket moaned and dragged himself out from under the bike.

"Yeah, yeah," Red murmured, lifting Delilah back up and walking it over to a bike stand. As he locked it up, Yellow scooped up Rocket and walked over to the bridge's railing, staring intently at the water below.

"Shame we didn't get here earlier," Red said, jogging over to them. "Supposedly this place is gorgeous when the sun goes down."

There was no moon out tonight, so the churning water was black. Yellow leaned over, transfixed.

"Whoa, whoa," Red said, grabbing the back of her shirt and pulling her back before she could fall over the side. "Careful."

"Sorry," Yellow said, giving him a bashful grin. "I just, er, like bridges a bit too much lately. Thanks for taking me here, Red."

"Anything for you, Yellow!" Red said. "It does still kinda look pretty in a mysterious sort of way, I guess."

She didn't answer, and when Red looked at her again she was once again staring at the water, tensed as if to jump.

"Uh, earth to Yellow? Ground control to Major Tom! Beep, beep!"

Yellow tore her gaze away. "Sorry, sorry! And hey, you're the one who needs the helmet, given how badly you crashed that bike."

They shared a laugh, but now Red was watching her with a bit of concern.

"Seriously though, what's going on?" he asked. "What's so interesting about the water?"

"Well, erm, it feels familiar, somehow," Yellow said. "It's not so much the water, but the presence…"

"The presence?" Red asked.

"You know how I was raised in Viridian Forest, right?" Yellow asked. "Well, the Pokemon sort of taught me to feel when there was a threat; something powerful. Across that water, somewhere, there's a being with a presence stronger than I've ever felt. And, it kinda feels familiar?"

"Okay, did you hit your head or something?" Red asked. "Cuz you sound a little crazy."

"No, I-" but Yellow's response turned into a cry of warning and she tackled Red, the two of them hitting the bridge as heat singed their clothes. pillars of intense flame had ignited where they had been standing, and they would've been badly burned if Yellow had been slower.

"Whoa, what the hell?" Red asked, pushing himself to his feet. Another column of flames circled towards them, and Yellow stepped forward, raising a protective hand over a confused Red, but Lucina suddenly teleported in front of them, creating a psychic wall. The fire slammed into the wall, but it held, Lucina gritting her teeth from the effort of maintaining the barrier.

"Lucina, you can teleport now?" Red asked in wonder. The Butterfree winked at them and flew towards the source of the flames, gesturing with her head for them to follow her. Red and Yellow exchanged a glance and sprinted after her.

It was hard to see, but flames lit up the night and made the scene of battle easier to comprehend. On distant a grassy hill, Jackie was fighting for her life against a Charmander, dodging around its ember attacks and meeting its slashing claws with her powerful kicks. A few feet away, Groot was shrieking, running around in circles. His bud was on fire.

"Holy shit, that's a Charmander!" Red said. "You guys found a Charmander?!"

Rocket grinned, sprinting between Red and Yellow as he charged down the remainder of the bridge towards the fighting pair, his cheeks sparking. Red watched him sprint up to join Jackie, before turning over to a smiling Yellow.

"I mean we had this whole night planned," Red said. "It wouldn't be fair to you if I just—"

Yellow gave him a little nudge. "Go get 'em, tiger."

* * *

Red flashed her a grateful smile and let out a whoop of joy as he charged into the burning battleground, once again in his element.

The Charmander finally managed to land a decisive blow on Jackie, his claws raking across her fur and drawing blood. The Mankey let out a strangled gasp and stumbled back, struggling to gain distance from her aggressive opponent.

"Come on, who's next?" the Charmander drawled, drunk on his victory. The little Bulbasaur was still running around in circles in a panic, and Jackie was clutching her wounded shoulder. He took a step towards her, before lightning blasted him off his feet. Yowling in pain, he rolled back up, facing the Pikachu who had launched the move.

"May I cut in?" he asked, electricity still running down his body.

The Charmander bared his teeth, but he hesitated when he saw the Butterfree he had been fighting before fly over his head. Running towards him across the Nugget bridge was a trainer with a eager, almost rabid grin on his face.

"Groot!" the trainer yelled. "Stop, drop, and roll!"

The Bulbasaur threw himself on the grass and began to roll around, no doubt a strategy to put out the flames. Soon, he was up on his feet as well, vines at the ready.

"Dude, as badass as you are," the Pikachu said, and the Charmander gaped at the electric mouse. He was willing to speak in front of his trainer? "We have you totally outgunned here. May as well just let this one go."

"I told them I wouldn't make it easy," the Charmander growled. "And I won't! Let's make things interesting though, shall we? I was gonna save this for later, but now's as good a time as any."

With that, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax, offering no more resistance to the natural process itching to consume him.

He began to grow. His arms became longer, more muscular. He was taller. The flame at the end of his burned even hotter.

He had evolved into a Charmeleon.

"I'm pulling all the stops to take you on," the new Charmeleon said, in a voice far more gravelly than he was used to. "Prove that you're worthy of me."

"Rocket, Jackie!" the trainer barked. "You two are up!"

The Pikachu and the Mankey sprinted forward, and the Charmeleon, grinning, ran out to meet them.

"Sweet, merciful Arceus," Lucina remarked, watching the Charmeleon battle Rocket and Jackie at the same time. "This thing's a monster."

"Isn't he?" Red whispered, as the Charmeleon tossed Rocket to the side and proceeded to claw up a desperate Jackie, who could barely block and dodge his blows. "What an amazing Pokemon."

"Okay, but like. They're going to die if you don't do something."

"Uhh, right!" Red said quickly, shaking out of his stupor. "Groot, I'm gonna need you for this."

"What? Me?" Groot's eyes were wide and fearful. "I've never even been in a real fight before. How could I possibly help?"

"You don't need to outfight the big scary lizard, you just need to use your tactical moveset to slow him down. Look, get as close to him as you can and use this move—"

A wave of heat formed a wall that threatened to crash against them, and Lucina was forced to redirect it with her mind. "Red, you might want to hurry! The Charmeleon's getting bored of the meat shields."

"Hey, we are not meat-" Rocket's indignation turned into a shriek of pain as the Charmeleon slapped him with his tail, the impact sending the poor Pikachu flying. The Charmeleon grinned in victory, only to woof in pain as Jackie's knee slammed into his stomach.

"How much…fight do you have, in you…?" the Charmeleon hissed at the still standing, bloodstained Mankey, dead on her feet yet glaring all the same. Screaming, she closed both hands into a fist and swung her arms down like a club, but the Charmeleon's tail swept her feet out from under her, and he let loose an ember attack at point blank range. Jackie hit the grass hard, and Lucina quickly dove to drag her to safety.

The Charmeleon opened his mouth, forming another ember attack, but Rocket jumped on his back and began discharging as much electricity as possible down the fire type's neck. Thrashing and spitting, he fought to throw Rocket free, and Groot sprinted forward, readying his attack...

Swinging his head back, the Charmeleon slammed into Rocket's face with a satisfying crack, tossing him aside and in the process ignoring Groot when blasted a tiny seed out from his bulb. The seed embedded itself into the Charmeleon's shoulder, and cracked open, instantly beginning to germinate. Vines flew out, wrapping themselves around the Charmeleon's shoulder, tying his forearm down to his waist. The Charmeleon roared in rage and ripped through the vines, but more shot out to replace them. He hissed as thorns jutted out from the vines and began sapping him of his health.

"Perfect!" Red cried. "Finish the job, Lucina!"

The Butterfree flew forward, her eyes glowing with an intense psychic aura, and the Charmeleon stepped out to meet her, releasing a blast of heat from his mouth—

But the Butterfree teleported to avoid it.

The Charmeleon started, stumbling back, before turning a second too slowly to see Jackie jump him from behind. He raised a hand to defend himself, but Groot's leech seed slowed him down, and Jackie chopped down on his throat. Eyes rolling up, he collapsed on the ground.

"Holy wow," Jackie whispered. "Hell of a fight in that guy."

"I dink he broke my nobe," Rocket said, sniffing as he padded over.

"You're mine, Chameleon!" Red cried, tossing a Pokeball. The Chameleon disappeared in a burst of red light, and Red's team gathered around to watch in anticipation as the ball shook and vibrated. Finally, it settled.

Red actually squeed in happiness, and Rocket moaned in embarrassment at his trainer's display.

"I got a Charmeleon! I got a Chaaaarmeleoooon!" He began performing crotch chops, and Jackie was happy to join in. "Suck it! Suuuuck it!"

"You know, maybe I was actually wrong in my initial conclusion that Red needed therapy," Groot said as he wiped the blood off Rocket's nose with a vine. "He's one of the happiest kids I think I've ever seen."

"You shoub've seen bim earlier," Rocket said. "I dink somebimes eberybody neebs some subbort. Somebimes ib needs to come from the bepole you lobe."

Groot stared at him. "I'm sorry?"

"Oh, forgeb it."

Still, Rocket watched Red and Jackie dance with a smile. Yellow had been right. The kid had balls of titanium. It was something he had always taken for granted, but now? After they had accomplished so much?

The Pikachu couldn't help but think they had a real chance at this.

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	21. Reunion

It was one of those rare times Delia could feel. She must have fallen asleep between hits.

There was the ringing in her ears, the dying screams of everyone she had ever known and love. There were the ghost pains from when the psychic clone had tortured her for what felt like hours on end. She wondered often if the monster had ever stopped.

Of course, she was sure the abundance of Moonshine was way more damaging.

The constant, throbbing pain in her head elevated at the loud, consistent rapping at her door, and when she rose from her ratty, stained couch, she felt a wave of nausea threaten to empty the contents of her stomach. She stumbled over to the door, barely able to see in the darkness of the room, and managed to open it after a moment of struggling to find the doorknob.

She didn't exactly sober up at the man standing patiently on the other side of the door, but annoyance cleared her focus.

He couldn't be more of a contrast. While Delia wore nothing but an old sweatshirt over her underwear, the man wore a clean, Neapolitan suit and a fedora to match. Delia's nose wrinkled at the smell of Bulgari pour Homme. Even that stupid cane of his was pretentious, more of a walking stick than anything. Its golden plated top was in the shape of a Persian's head.

Despite Delia's state of undress, however, there was no sense of shame or awkwardness in their mutual venom. The man spoke first.

"May I come in, Delia?" With his free hand he showed her a tall glass of expensive wine; Delia couldn't read for shit at the moment, but she knew that coming from him, it was pretty top shelf. "I bring a peace offering."

"Don't know why you'd want to come in here, but I'll take the bottle." She snatched it from his hands and he nearly lost his balance. "Can't promise I'll be awake for anything you have to say."

The man shook his head and smiled, limping into her house after her. He was quick to make himself at home as well, making a beeline for her kitchen. He shook his head in disgust when he opened her refrigerator.

"All that's in here is some expired mayonnaise and unwrapped cheese," he remarked.

"I have bread too," Delia countered, already lying back down on her couch. "Sometimes I take some of the cheese and put it in between the bread. Anything can be a sandwich if you're creative enough."

The man looked in her pantry. Sure enough, there were a few slices of moldy bread-fraught with mouse droppings. "Delia, this bread is grotesque."

"Oh, come on, be grateful for the extra protein."

"Look at the state of you, Delia." The man leaned over her counter, giving her an imploring look. "I'm here to extend a hand of friendship."

"This again?" Delia asked, raising an eyebrow. "No is no, Geode."

"Don't—!" the man snarled, but he managed to calm himself. "Don't call me Geode. Please. I've told you before, I use the name my dear, late mother chose for me."

"Fine, 'Giovanni'," Delia said, in a bad imitation of his voice. "Tell me, does every element of your identity need to scream 'insufferable douchebag?'"

Giovanni snorted. "You always knew how to get under my skin."

"It's my only talent."

"But that isn't the case," Giovanni said. "Delia, I beseech you, join my cause. You're a capable trainer, the only one besides me to fight 2.0 and live. You could move past your malaise—"

"Oh, enough," Delia snapped. "I may be fucked out of my mind, but I'm not stupid enough to follow you into a suicide mission."

"I'm so close," Giovanni pleaded. "I have spiders spinning webs in every city, I have the Silph company under my thumb, and an army of trainers ready to fight back for our rightful region."

"Do you have the Elite Four on your side?" Delia asked. "Or Samuel Oak? They survived against the monster as well."

Giovanni hesitated. "Oak's an old coward. I have...designs for the Elite Four, though I'll admit it's slow going. Which is why I must insist that you—"

"All you're going to do is incur its wrath," Delia said, quite calmly. "You call Oak a coward, but he's brave enough to accept the truth."

"The truth is what we make of it!" Giovanni said. "Delia, life is a gift! It is a chance to make an impact on the world, to make a change. You place so much value in living, yet what do you do with it? What's so wonderful about a life like yours?"

"You may not have learned anything from that battle, but I have," Delia said. "People like you or I, or my son? We're not the ones to make a difference. You can try, sure, but it's far more important to make the most of the life you have. You'll be far more content that way."

"What, getting drunk in your underwear and neglecting your son?" Giovanni asked through gritted teeth.

"You act so uppity, but you're trying to live the same way you did twenty years ago," Delia said. "You're not growing in your obsession; you're staying exactly the same. So, you won't win. It's as simple as that."

Giovanni reeled on her, and Delia let the Pokeball hiding up her sleeve slip into down into her hand, but he seemed to compose himself. After a moment, he strode to the door, no doubt coming to the understanding that nothing productive could come from their meeting.

"They would've been with me on this," he said as he stepped outside, turning to look at Delia almost pleadingly. "You know they would have. Especially your husband."

"And if you got me killed instead of him?" Delia said. The lack of emotion on her face seemed to irritate Giovanni even more. "Would either of them be stupid enough to follow you after that? They're dead, so even if you presumed to say yes it wouldn't matter."

"But their spirits live on in their sons," Giovanni said. "And once they understand that the clone must be destroyed, they'll be right at my side when we battle it again."

"I won't deny that if anyone will succeed, it's an Oak," Delia admitted. "But Qu-er, Red? That's the person you'd stake all of Kanto on?"

"Among others," Giovanni said. "And I have no doubt he'll be happy to help."

"Please," Delia said. "He'll do nothing beyond his own self-interest. He's far too into himself to ever ever consider helping someone else."

"Because you've spent his whole life telling him he's worthless!" Giovanni snapped. "You won't believe in him, so he's had to believe in himself! I can relate to that sentiment."

At last Delia's jaw tightened, and Giovanni smiled at his victory. "He'll die. You'll get him killed."

"He won't die," Giovanni said, closing the door behind him. "Because I believe in him. In his ability. And that's all he'll need."

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	22. Blind Optimism

Wild Pokemon didn't like those that were lucky enough to be caught. Pretentious pricks. Instead of scrounging for scraps of food and fighting other wilds for territory, they had free and consistent food and shelter. But there was more to it than that.

Humans were obnoxious; arrogant yet feeble, they had no abilities of their own yet believed they owned the world.

And yet it was their substitutes, what they had to make up for their weakness, that made them so dangerous. They couldn't survive in the forests, so they built cities, systems of government, societies that guaranteed a quality of life the masses of Pokemon couldn't figure out. They couldn't fight Pokemon, so they tamed them. Not simply with Pokeballs, but by offering a symbiotic relationship.

Because somehow, humans knew how to make Pokemon strong and healthy.

Pokemon weren't like humans. They don't question the world, they accept their surroundings and survive within their boundaries. Humans challenge the world, change the status quo. They learned about Pokemon, their abilities, their strengths and weaknesses, and how to draw out their full potential. The Pokemon themselves never learned past their own basic methods of survival; in truth they could care less about the world humans had created for themselves; one fraught with dog-fighting and comforts that weakened their bodies and increased their arrogance.

But for some lucky Pokemon, being caught meant being powerful. Having power was everything to a Pokemon.

For example, take the Pidgeot that Professor Oak was riding as it flew over the steep mountains of Victory Road. There were other birds sharing the airspace, even a few other Pidgeot, but the one owned by a trainer outstretched them with ease. It's body was muscular, its wingspan wide, and even its sharp eyes seemed brighter. This was a Pokemon trained by an expert; the full potential of what a Pokemon could be.

So, the wild bird Pokemon merely stared after it in jealousy as it descended with its trainer on its back, down to the great Indigo Plateau where the truly powerful Pokemon housed. None of them would ever receive that treatment, and they were far too weak to ever do something about it, so they waited. Waited for a trainer to waltz by so they could hurl themselves at them, hopefully securing a spot on their teams for a chance to become powerful.

It wasn't a very fun existence.

The chosen Pidgeot landed gracefully on the plateau summit, the gates of the Indigo League building not far from sight. Oak dismounted and clicked the button on one of his Pokeballs, enlarging it.

"Thank you, Odette," Oak said, returning his faithful bird to its Pokeball. "Allow yourself some rest."

Indigo Plateau (and therefore Victory Road) stood as the divider between Johto and Kanto, and the second highest point among the two regions. It was here, in fact, that the treaty ending the war and securing Kanto's independence from Johto was signed. As a result, the league building had been built as a testament to their "everlasting mutual respect", which even at the time Oak had suspected was Tauros crap. Indeed, the old professor still felt an old prickle of fear every time he approached the plateau, aware of how close he was to Johto territory. The long walk up the heavy steps didn't help the building seem any less imposing.

There, by the front doors, stood Khan Lance, chief of Blackthorne's Clan of Dragons and the most powerful member of the elite four. Despite his dark garbs and the honorary cape billowing behind him in the wind, an easy smile was on his face. The hulking Dragonite at his side, leering at the professor, however, wasn't so disarming.

"The Champion himself graces us with his presence!" Lance said, in a show of mock reverence. "It's been years, old friend!"

"Acting Champion," Oak said, smiling as well. Lance always knew how to put him at ease. "'Doctor O' retired years ago. I'll defer to anyone who makes it past you. I'm sure you've long since surpassed me anyway."

"I'm assuming you didn't just call me here to praise me, Sam," Lance said, and he folded his arms. "I'll admit, I'm curious to learn of the truth behind the rumors I keep hearing about your region?"

He snapped a finger, and the massive doors opened. "Why don't you come inside? It's been a long time since you've stuck your head around these parts. The other three will be happy to see you again. Er, scratch Agatha."

Oak winced at the thought, remembering his fateful match against her all those years ago. It had been a grueling contest, lasting hours, and she still hadn't quite forgiven him for her ultimate defeat. "Well, until now, the world hasn't needed a Champion. It's a shame that fact has changed."

* * *

Blue was finally well enough to appreciate Cerulean City, and he and Red explored the plaza, a far cry from any of the cities either had visited before. The walkways were actually clean and neatly paved, and the square was dotted with plants and public art. The stone fountain in the city center was particularly beautiful, featuring a majestic Lapras spraying water in the air. Blue watched a couple taking pictures with it and felt oddly lonely.

The ringing of a bell suddenly pierced Blue's ears, and Blue glared at Red as he pedaled over to him.

"Why the long face?" Red asked. "This place is awesome! Can I climb up the Lapras statue?"

"No, calm down," Blue snapped. "Who gave you sugar? And also, that bike's clearly for girls."

"Well, duh, she's a girl," Red said, lovingly rubbing his bike's pink handlebars. "Delilah is the most beautiful lady in the world."

"Not what I meant," Blue said, shaking his head, though he couldn't help but smile. "But I guess you've never been insecure about girly stuff, given the Kingler Incident."

"Dude, we don't talk about that!" Red hissed. "Seriously bro, what gives. It's not like you to be so mopey."

"Well," Blue said, and for a moment he wondered why the hell he was opening up to Red. Stupid kid had this annoying sense of honesty about him. "I guess I'm kinda jealous of a place like this, growing up in Pallet. I mean, the closest thing I had to a love interest got me kidnapped by a criminal organization. Kind of not feeling the love tonight, if you catch my drift."

"Don't worry, Simba," Red said, putting an arm around his shoulder. An impressive feat, considering he was still balancing on his bicycle. "We'll find you a Nala to wrestle with. C'mon I've always wanted to be a wingman."

"As charming a thought as that is." Blue shuddered. "We're here for a reason, Red." He jerked his hand over to a nearby bench, where an elderly woman wrapped in a shawl was tossing bread to a pair of Farfetch'd.

"Dude, I support your taste in women!" Red said, giving him a thumbs' up. "They really do age like fine wine don't they? Plus, they have experience we small town boys never-"

"We need to put you on a limit, Red," Blue drawled. He walked over to the woman and grinned down at her. "The shawl really brings out your eyes, ma'am."

"Oh, thank you, young man," the elderly woman said in a voice that was oddly falsetto. "Aren't you sweet?"

"You're really good at this, Blue," Red said, pedaling by. "A real Casanova!"

"All right, enough with the act, Looker," Blue said, now a bit impatiently. "I need to get back to training soon."

"You're right, she is a looker!" Red agreed, but hesitated when the "woman" removed her shawl to reveal an Adam's apple and a shock of brown hair.

"I'm impressed you managed to figure me out," Looker said, nodding in respect to the younger man. "What gave me away?"

"Your eyes," Blue said. "Your acting was on point, but you've been staring at me since we've gotten here."

"Okay, now I'm a little bit confused," Red admitted. "But I'm still super supportive of you two!"

Looker raised an eyebrow. "You're really bringing the idiot with the girly bike on board?"

"Yeah, dumb as he is, we can trust him," Blue said, ignoring Red's indignant exclamation. "Thing is, though, I'm not exactly sure what I'm trusting him to do."

Looker hesitated. "Let's talk somewhere quieter. The city has ears."

* * *

The international police officer led Red and Blue up to a hill on Cerulean City's outskirts, overlooking the massive river of Route 24, left of Nugget Bridge. It was foggy, and they couldn't see the reaches of rapids beyond the tops of trees.

"That's where the clone resides," Looker said, pointing. "Down the river, past that maze of trees there stands an island. The clone lives in the depths of a cave there."

"Yeah, I've had enough of caves for a while," Blue grumbled. "So, I'm assuming the island's guarded so people don't wander to their deaths?"

"The 'official statement', according to the gym leader who oversees the bulwark, the dense forest is under construction," Looker explained. " Some big, imaginary theme park is being made. Anyone who comes is turned back, and the only one who even knows about the monster they're guarding is Misty herself. The soldiers are trained to not ask questions and absolutely never enter the cave themselves."

"And none of them ever got curious?" Blue asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A few did," Looker said with a mirthless chuckle. "They died. And now no one's curious."

"I'm still kinda curious," Red said. "Hell, I have no idea what you two are talking about? Is this clone thing a Pokemon? Can we fight it?"

Looker threw Blue a pointed look. "You didn't explain anything?"

Blue raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, I feel like I still don't understand everything. I'm still waiting for you to elaborate."

Looker chewed on his lip, standing straight. He seemed to hesitate for a moment and began to pace back and forth, muttering to himself. He was still certainly an odd sight, in his pink sweater and handbag.

Finally, he fixed them both a look. "In truth, there's someone better suited for explaining everything I essentially know about what's happened in Kanto. He's close by as well."

"He's the guy who clued you in?" Blue asked. "Who is he?"

"You'll have heard of him; most famous freelance inventor in Kanto," Looker said. "He lives in a cottage around where Route 25 meets Cerulean Cape."

Blue blinked a little to process what Looker had said. "Wait, you're talking about the inventor of the PC system? Bill Sonezaki? He's involved in all of this?"

"Well, he was a great asset to Kanto's revolution, if you remember," Looker said. "Even as young as he was Though he wasn't directly involved with the clone itself, his status as one of Kanto's Founding Fathers ensured he was close to everyone instrumental to the war effort, including those behind the funding and creation of the clone. He's also the only other person who's on our side."

"Okay, so we'll visit Bill, catch up to your speed," Blue said slowly. "I heard he was a bit of a recluse?"

Looker chuckled. "Oh, yes. It took a long time to track him down. I assume exchanging pleasantries will be a bit awkward. Still, he has a lot to say."

He wrapped his shawl back around his head, adopting the hunched, unassuming disguise of an elderly woman once more. "In the meantime, I have a meeting scheduled with Misty. I want a closer eye on the defenses, see what exactly is standing between a nigh invincible psychic behemoth and the rest of the world."

Red, who had been zoning out most of the conversation, sensed it was coming to an end and flashed a thumbs' up. "Cool!"

Blue, however, was eyeing Looker suspiciously. "Look, I'm grateful to you for opening my eyes to this whole side of history hidden from me, and I understand that as a member of the International Police you need to keep some semblance of cover, but-"

Looker seemed to understand. "You need to know me to trust me."

"You're excellent with your disguises," Blue said, shrugging. "How do I know this isn't one of them?"

Looker barked a laugh, an odd sight for what looked like a decrepit old woman. "Fair enough, but I'll admit I carry a few secrets."

"At least tell me what you're doing this for," Blue said. "You're not from Kanto, what's your motivation for even bothering with us?"

Looker hesitated. "In truth? I think this what I'm meant to do. I think fate plays its part."

Blue scowled. "What are you, a Johtian?"

Looker simply shook his head again and smiled that same vague smile, which was somehow even more frustrating to Blue than if he had gotten offended. "I can't tell you much; what if you get captured? But I'll tell you this.

"Behind the disguises, masks, there is no secret identity," Looker said, and when Blue stared into his eyes there was a sense of emptiness. Yet there was an odd light; desire? "And there's a certain personal stake in what I'm doing."

In retrospect, Looker's little escape plan was genius. Blue and Red were so taken aback they barely registered him hobbling away.

"He's a little spooky," Red admitted. "I'll admit, I barely know what's going on, but you said he's one of the ones we can trust?"

"He's a hard one to read," Blue said. "But everything he's told me so far is true. Dammit, he didn't say anything about what we're supposed to do once we talk to Sonezaki."

"Well, this clone thing sounds really tough, right?" Red asked. Now that there wasn't much point to stand there, they began to walk down the hill, Red making a beeline for Delilah. "Let's train up and fight it off. Save the region!"

"Don't be an idiot, Red, he'll kill you," Blue snapped, but all the same felt that same enthusiasm Red did. He had trained for years, learned everything he could about raising Pokemon, been named a prodigy. Who else but a prodigy would be the one to defeat the clone? "Before we do anything we need to know everything. I'm tired of being kept in the dark."

"But what do we do once we know?" Red asked. "Go along with the rest of the world? Hide in fear from an evil, monstrous psychic and let his presence rule our lives? That's not very Kantonian of us; I want to make a difference!"

Blue stared at him for a moment, and Red blushed. "What?"

"Nothing," Blue said, quickly looking down. "I just sometimes forget you're smarter than you let on."

He nodded. "I agree, Red. Everyone seems to be walking on eggshells, and the only people willing to do anything about it are doing so by exploiting and destroying our region. We'll figure it out, all right? I think your blind optimism won me over for once."

The two men shook hands.

Red grinned. "Oh, by the way, did you hear about that Nugget Bridge challenge going on this afternoon? I bet I can beat all five trainers before you can!"

"Please," Blue said, a competitive smirk playing on his face. "I've seen bug catchers that have a better chance of beating me than you. The ones with the unevolved, level eight Weedles, even."

"Awww, do you lose to level eight Weedles? Poow widdle Blewww."

They continued their banter all the way down to the Pokemon Center, the way they had always done as kids.

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	23. Fucking Ninjas

Hawkeye the Spearow shot across the sky, the blustery wind adding more velocity to his flight pattern as he danced with an enemy Mankey, easily able to avoid the aggressive primate's reckless limbs. The young trainer giving the Mankey orders was red-faced and furious, but Blue was as composed as ever, leaning against the Nugget Bridge's railing with his signature cocky grin.

"C'mon, Dimitri, it's just a flying rat," the trainer screeched, and Blue's eardrums cried in protest. The kid's (couldn't have been more than eleven) desperate screams seemed only to aggravate and confuse his monkey. His strikes were becoming even more telegraphed, all too easy for Hawkeye to avoid.

"Have some empathy," Blue chortled. "Have you ever tried to punch a bird? Give the poor monkey a break. Hell, jump in the ring yourself. It'd be way more entertaining."

Unfortunately, the Nugget Bridge 'challenge' hadn't been difficult at all. There was no one over fourteen, and they were locals of Cerulean who had probably never battled a serious trainer in their lives.

"All right, Hawkeye, stop playing with your food," Blue said lazily. "Aerial ace!"

Hawkeye dropped like a stone, his wings finally pulling him forward a moment before he hit the ground. Swift as an arrow, he performed a quick loop-de-loop before ripping deep into the monkey's shoulder as he flew past him. Howling in pain and clutching his bloody arm, the Mankey dropped to his knees.

Hawkeye perched back on his trainer's shoulder as Blue wiped off his beak with a napkin; the young trainer was shouting expletives as he returned his Mankey to his Pokeball and dug into his pocket for the money he now owed the victorious trainer.

Still smug about his victory, Blue turned to look to see how Red was faring. While Blue had finished mopping his final opponent, Red was still on his third.

The girl with the Rattata wasn't particularly powerful, in fact Blue was sure that Red's own Mankey would make quick work of the little gremlin, but the Pokemon he had sent out was clearly a newbie. The little Bulbasaur wasn't very combat savvy, nor was he sure of foot. Blue could tell that fact from his shaking knees.

Realizing that this match might actually be close, Blue watched the ensuing fight with interest.

"Charlie, use tackle!" the girl cried, and the Rattata sprung forward, surprisingly agile for its level.

"Groot, vine whip!" Red ordered, and the Bulbasaur casted out vines to wrap around the rodent's waist long before it could close the distance. With a shout of effort, Groot lifted Charlie high in the air and slapped him repeatedly against the bridge's walkway.

"Damn!" the girl cried. "Break through the vines with your teeth!"

Groot only managed to slam Charlie into the golden walkway once more before the Rattata twisted in the air, sinking its teeth into the vines and ripping through them with ease. Now free, the Rattata hit the bridge in a forward roll and sprung at Groot, who scrambled back with a yelp.

"Quick attack!" the girl cried.

"Dodge, Groot!" Red shouted.

Groot jumped to the side, but not quick enough, and he was sent sprawling from the impact of the quick attack. The girl giggled at her edge as the Rattata crouched low, ready to strike again.

"Shit, Groot, are you okay?" Red asked as the Bulbasaur struggled to his feet, disoriented but still capable of battling. Groot managed a nod and a small smile.

"Yo, Redy-boy, you're treating your Bulbasaur like he's the rest of your team!" Blue called. "You have to play to his strengths."

"Shut the hell up!" Red barked. "Also, what do you mean?"

Blue gestured to Rocket, who was guarding Red's bicycle by the foot of the bridge. "Pikachu. Monkey. Butterfree. Hell, even Chameleon. They're all fast, offensive loose cannons that benefit from being aggressive, especially since they have the speed to avoid attacks. Bulbasaurs aren't like that. They're tactical fighters with a very particular skillset. Groot just doesn't play by the same rules as the rest of your team."

Red bit his lip, looking down at Groot's bulb. "Oh, I think I get it."

"Hey, I'd really appreciate it if you butted out," the little girl said, furious over the advice her opponent was receiving. "End it, Rattata!"

"Groot, leech seed!"

The Rattata sprung again, but this time Groot took the attack head on. Sliding backwards, he gritted his teeth and leaned forward, thrusting his bud towards his opponent. A single seed popped out, and from it vines exploded out and wrapped themselves around the Rattata's body, who let out a squeal as thorns dug into its skin.

"Crap!" the little girl cried. "End it, quick attack!"

Grimacing in pain, Charlie bravely lunged forward, but the pain had slowed him, and Groot easily slapped him aside with a vine. Before he could rise again, Groot's vines tightened around his neck, not enough to choke him, but quite enough to deter him from making any movement.

"This may be time to call it off!" Red said cheerfully. "He's pretty stuck and the leech seed will just keep draining energy."

The girl pouted. "Fine. Whatever!" She recalled her Pokemon, as Red leaned down to pet Groot's head. The Bulbasaur giggled at the affection.

"All right!" Blue said, applauding Red. "PALLET TOWN! PALLET TOWN!"

"WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!" Red and Blue chanted, jumping to give them air for their epic chest bump.

"I hate people from small towns," the kid with the Mankey murmured to the little girl, and she nodded in exasperated agreement.

* * *

"So, I take it this Bill guy is pretty important?" Red asked, pedaling alongside a jogging Blue up the slope to where Looker had told them Bill Sonezaki's cottage could be found. Rocket was asleep, muttering something in his native voice, though he snapped awake whenever Red accidentally hit a rock. The Pikachu was especially annoyed when Red was quick to apologize to 'Delilah' about the bump and not himself. "I mean, I know I heard the name before."

"I know you never paid attention in class, but this is getting kind of pathetic. You really should know who Bill is." Blue was beginning to pant, tired from the effort of keeping up with a bicycle. "Circumvented the original PSS, invented the PC system…"

"Hey, man, you know I'm not good with computers," Red said. "And I don't really need to use the restroom either."

"No, you dunce, the Pokemon Storage System," Blue said. "You know, the place your Pokemon go when you're not using them, once you've caught more than six?"

"Yeah, but I only have five Pokemon," Red said.

Blue turned to glare at him. "You know you are supposed to be completing my grandfather's Pokedex, right?"

"Yeah, cuz that's what people are reading this story for," Red shot back, rolling his eyes.

"Just listen," Blue said, eager to steer the conversation away from the fourth wall break. "The Pokemon Storage System from before the Indigo War was under the Johto theocracy's jurisdiction. If one wanted to use the modernized technology of the time to capture Pokemon, they had to accept that it was by Johto's consent. It was a pretty major deterrent for a potential war because Kantonians wouldn't be able to use Pokemon like Johto could."

"Which is why Bill designed the personal computer?"

"See, you're not so dumb," Blue said, punching Red in the shoulder and nearly knocking him off his bike. "Bill was just a teenage intern for Silph at the time, and he managed to hack into Johto's databanks; essentially free Pokeballs from their locks to steal back the Pokemon they held hostage. Now, its accepted that everyone has a right to the Pokemon they catch and the PC phenomenon spread worldwide. Hell, even Johto accepted its necessity about a decade back."

There it was; a tiny cottage overlooking Cerulean Cape. In truth, Red would have expected something much more extravagant. In fact, it was a bit of an eyesore next to the pretty view; the house clearly hadn't had much exterior maintenance in a while. The white paint was beginning to chip, and the porch looked rather rickety.

"Aw man, just like old man Smee's house," Red said, feeling a wave of nostalgia. "Man, do I miss that old pervert."

"I wonder if he's still eyeing up the girls at the Celadon City gym," Blue remarked, after taking a moment to take a breather. "Anyway, I'll knock. You just stand there and look pretty."

"What? I want to knock!" Red protested.

"No chance. Not after the Kingler Incident."

"Dude, that was three years ago! I've changed!"

"And you still haven't paid the money for the shattered chandelier!"

"Only cuz my mom keeps selling it for weed!"

The front door snapped forward on its hinges, a man having kicked it. "Don't come any closer! I swear, I'm armed!"

The noise caused Red and Blue to freeze in their tracks, and Rocket snapped awake. All three stared at the man who was now staring back at them in utter puzzlement.

"You guys don't look like ninjas."

"Ninjas?" Blue asked, raising a brow. "You thought we were ninjas?"

"Er, sorry about that!" the man said quickly. "Listen, I don't have to sign autographs, so if you'll be on your way…"

"Hold on, you're Bill Sonezaki, right?" Blue said. It certainly looked like what he had seen in pictures, though he didn't remember his hair looking quite so dishevelled, or his ruffled shirt so full of stains. He clearly hadn't shaved in a while either, as a shadow grew from his chin down to his neck.

"I, yes," Bill said lamely. "Like I said-"

"Nice to meet you, Bill!" Red said cheerfully, used to the messier crowd. "You have a beautiful house."

Bill stared at Red blankly, before looking to Blue for confirmation. "What, is he an idiot? This old thing is about to fall apart."

"Nah, he's just super nonjudgmental when it comes to lifestyle choices," Blue said. "Looker sent us. I'm Blue Oak."

Bill seemed to look him over, his eyes fixating on the jewel hung around Blue's neck. "I see. Well, in that case, come in. I'll make you something to drink."

"We're in, dude!" Red said as Blue followed Bill up the steps to the cottage. "And no one's chandelier even got busted this time."

"Life finds a way, Red," Blue siad, shaking his head. "You're going to break something before we're finished here, I feel it in my bones."

* * *

Bill Sonezaki's cottage interior was about as charming as his exterior. What few surfaces weren't cluttered with notes and leftover food was instead covered by computers. Fortunately, the couch Bill led them to was neat, so they were free to sit down without much worry for sitting on something sticky. Bill, on the other hand, whistled as he made his way to his kitchenette, which was also a bit more manageable.

"I got fresh water, lemonade, and soda pop," Bill called.

"Do you have moomoo milk?" Red asked hopefully.

"You're a generation too early, Red, sorry."

"Fresh water then," Red said, sadly.

Blue didn't accept the drink Bill set down on the coffee table in front of them, instead deciding to throw pointed questions immediately. "We need you to tell us about the clone."

Bill nodded slowly, as though he had expected the question. "I assumed as much. Is Looker doing okay?"

"He just sent us to you today," Blue said. "He told us you could tell us everything."

"Well, 'everything is a tricky word'," Bill said, swirling his glass anxiously. "I'm not sure if I know everything. I can't tell you anything about the current upper management of Rocket Industries, for example. But I know a thing or two behind the origin of all of this.

"You ever heard about a Pokemon named 'Mew'?"

"What, the one hundred and fifty first Pokemon?" Blue said. "The phantom Pokemon? The myth?"

"Yes, yes, and no," Bill said, now very engaged in the story he was telling. Privately, Blue felt a bit sorry for him; this was probably the most human engagement he'd had in a while. "Mew's no myth. The clone is proof of that."

"Whoa, so it's a clone of Mew?" Red whispered. "That Pokemon is even stronger than Exeggutor."

Bill blinked, curious. "Why Exeggutor specifically?"

"Please, continue," Blue said, interrupting Red's response. "It's best not to encourage him."

Bill cleared his throat. "Er, yes. During an expedition in the Sevii Islands, Mew was discovered deep in the Berry Forest by a man named Philip Fuji."

"Wait, Lavender Town's Representative?" Blue asked.

"The very same. Though Mew is described in legend as evasive and mysterious, Fuji had an easy time befriending it. Soon it was introduced to human civilization, and found itself swamped by a research team spearheaded by Samuel Oak."

"Wait, Gramps was personally involved with the clone's creation?" Blue said, horrorstruck. Bill shook his head.

"You're getting ahead of yourself, your grandfather was firmly against any cloning," Bill said. "Though I won't deny his research team had its role. Mew was discovered to contain the genetic codes of all Pokemon, with the potential to breed the most powerful Pokemon of all time. And since a potential war was brewing…"

"That's why the clone was made," Blue said, nodding. "I gotta ask, how involved were you at this point?"

"The whole reason for initially getting into Johto's databases and modernizing Pokemon Storage technology was in fact because of Mew," Bill said. "When Johto did finally learn that a Pokemon they revered was being treated as a lab experiment, that was the straw that broke the Camerupt's back. Hell, in its own way, the clone didn't just end the Indigo War; it started it as well.

"The Founding Fathers of Kanto were the ones who founded Rocket Industries, funded by an unknown benefactor. Though they were pretty united to forge a new future for Kanto, they came to blows over Project 2.0."

"And which of them went through with creating it?" Blue asked, leaning forward.

"Cinnabar Gym Leader Blaine Scorcher," Bill said. "He hasn't left his gym since the clone was released. My guess is that Looker's going to sniff him out next."

Bill let Blue process what he had been told, and decided to focus on Red, who had been awfully quiet. "Are you doing okay? It's a bit of a shock to the system, I'm sure."

Red hesitated. "I was just thinking….'the clone' doesn't sound very cool. We need a better name. Like, I don't know. How about we call him…Ripjaw, or Giygas, or The Dark Mew, or..."

He posed dramatically. "Mewtwo." He grinned. "Oh, dude, that one's awesome."

"No way 'Mewtwo' is gonna stick, Red," Blue said, flicking him.

"I'm partial to Giygas myself," Bill said mildly, with a sip of his lemonade.

Blue cleared his throat. "So, that's everything, then? Er, aside from the ninjas."

"Hey, don't take the ninjas lightly," Bill whispered, glancing around. "They've told me they're everywhere, having woven themselves neatly into every city."

"And why are ninjas pestering you?" Blue asked, rolling his eyes.

"I hold the key to all the Pokemon Storage Systems across all of Kanto and Johto," Bill murmured. "Not to mention blueprints to plans that Silph could easily bring to fruition. They come by once a week to threaten me into joining. The only reason I haven't been taken by force is that, given I'm rather famous and my house is well known, my disappearance would make a scene. But they've made it clear they won't let me leave. Hell, the only reason I managed to speak to Looker was because of his 'rock' disguise."

"Looker disguised himself as a rock?" Blue asked. "How does that even work?"

"In any case, I'm basically trapped," Bill admitted in a sort of whimper. "They've made it clear if I try to escape Kanto, they'll…" He slid his finger down his throat. "So, yeah, if I seem all twitchy and paranoid, that's why."

"I swear to god— what, were two corrupt organizations and a psychic monster powerful enough to wipe out a region not enough?" Blue growled. "We need fucking ninjas too?"

"Wait, hold on," Red said, having once again silent to ponder something, now spoke up in a rather shaky voice. "Why aren't they preventing us from talking to you?"

It took Bill a second to register what he had said. "Oh shit."

Blue cursed, jumping to his feet, but two figures dropped from the ceiling. Clad in dark outfits, only their eyes were visible from their masks. In each of their hands, they held sharp, easten-style swords.

Red nodded to Blue and they both unclipped a Pokeball from their belt, but the ninjas raised their hands in surrender.

"We come bearing a message," one of them said, bowing low to the floor. "From the boss of Rocket Industries. He'd like to meet with the two of you."

"Thank you for your unintentional cooperation, Bill Sonezaki," the other said. "The reveal of our master of disguises, Looker, was quite the icing on the cake."

"Um, Blue, can we call the police?" Red whispered.

"What is this, some kinda trap?" Blue asked ignoring his friend. "If your 'boss' wants to speak to us, he can come himself."

"No traps," the first ninja said, and he bowed low as well. "We're mere messengers. The boss resides in Celadon City. He offers a condition of arrangement."

"And that arrangement is?"

"No threat will come to Bill Sonezaki's life. Nor your sister's." The ninja turned to Red as Blue let out a throaty moan of shock. "Nor, your mother's."

Red moistened his lips. "What the hell do you mean? How could you possibly-?"

"Our ninja clan has agents in close proximity to all of the following people. Assassination would be as quick as an order from the boss," the first ninja said again. "Yet, if we can help it, and the boss agrees, we'd prefer not to cut short the lives of such promising people. The goal is to end the threat of the clone, and in our boss's words: 'We need trainers like you on our side.' If the lives of your loved ones must be threatened for your compliance, it's an unfortunate risk we need to take. And for now, all the boss would like to do is talk with you."

"Yeah, well you know what?" Red snapped. "I think you assholes are a bunch of nerds in pajamas." He started forward, throwing a punch. "I bet you can't even—"

Red let out a woof of pain as the ninja on the left delivered a swift kick to his stomach, and poor Red collapsed back on the couch. He tried to rise but, ashen face, he slumped back over.. Rocket shrieked in outrage and electricity ran up his cheeks, but the other ninja had spun Blue around to hold him at knifepoint. Baring his teeth, Rocket let the electricity die.

"Now you're aware of our competence," the ninja hissed into Blue's ear, pulling him back by the hair and causing him to yelp.

"Fucking ninjas," Red managed to wheeze out, still clutching his stomach. "This is so fucking stupid."

"Sorry for the excessive force," the ninja holding Blue said, and he released him. Stumbling back, Blue glanced at Bill, who was white as a ghost and had frozen entirely.

"All right," Blue said after a moment. "You win. We'll meet your boss."

"Can't we just please, call the police?" Red groaned, finally having managed to push himself to a sitting position.

"I-I tried that once," Bill murmured. "The ninjas, well—"

"The Celadon City Police Department sent three men," the ninja who had kicked Red said. "Two of them were ours and shot the third, whose death was labeled as a freak accident. The boss has virtual control over the entire region. You must understand that."

"A terrifying thought, to be sure," the other ninja said. "But think, what other organization could potentially stop a being like 'Mewtwo'?"

"The boss resides in Celadon." The ninja opened the door and the two stepped outside like they were going out for an ordinary stroll down to the cape. "When you arrive you'll receive further instructions."

"Oh." One of the ninjas turned back to look at them. "It goes without speaking, but do not mention any of this to your friend in the international police. He'll be dealt with quite presently."

Bill stepped forward and slammed the door behind them, shivering like a madman.

"I...I think I need a minute," Red said, massaging his stomach.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Blue rounded on Bill, who cowered away from him. "You compromised Looker!"

"Hey, I didn't know they were still here!" Bill said defensively. "Oh god, they've been eating my food! My gummy bears!"

"Focus, Sonezaki," Blue snapped. "How long have they been here without you noticing?"

"Well, they told me they were leaving to monitor Mt. Moon after that whole fiasco," Bill said, rubbing his chin. "Warned me that I'd be apprehended if I tried to leave. Either they've been following you, or they never left and merely used me as bait."

"You're telling me that you could've missed them for days on end?" Red asked in disbelief. "How?"

"They're ninjas, that's what they're freaking good at!" Bill moaned. "I'm sorry!"

"All right, calm down, everyone," Blue muttered. "We need to calm down and come up with a plan."

Bill and Red fell silent, as Blue thought for a moment.

"At the very least, there seems to be no threat of time," Blue said. "The entire region's in a standstill. The clone-"

"Mewtwo."

"Shut up, Red. The clone isn't willing to make any aggressive movements, and though Rocket Industries seems to have the entire region hostage, they clearly feel unprepared to take the clone on. There's also the fact that though our loved ones are being held hostage, it's not like the ninjas will actually be willing to cause them any harm. They kill Daisy or your mom, and there won't be anything stopping us from openly opposing them."

He jerked his head in Bill's direction. "On the other hand, you're necessary for their plans. I'm sure it's scary to be in close proximity with ninjas, but you're basically the safest person in this whole conflict."

"Blue, I understand your point," Bill said hesitantly. "But they have more hostages than just our love ones. What if, when you ignore them, they start picking people off just to prove they're willing to?"

"If there's one thing Rocket's been explicit about, it's that they don't want to kill anyone," Blue said slowly. "Humans are precious resources in their eyes. And I didn't say we were going to ignore them. But we do have time. Time to get strong. To train. And when the boss himself gives us an opening-"

Blue punched an open palm. "-We take him down. Push him off his throne. At the very least, it'll force the ninjas to release their hostages."

"Okay, I'll admit that I love the phrasing of that," Red said, cracking a grin. "But uh, what if like, there are still ninjas around, listening to what we're saying?"

"Let them listen," Blue said, a confident grin now on his face. "Whoever this boss his, he knows what we're about. He's got eyes everywhere. He doesn't want to talk. He wants a challenge."

Red and Bill watched in amazement as Blue rose to his feet, his signature cocky grin displayed for all to see.

"I'm willing to step up to that challenge."

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	24. Too Much Water

If anything was enough to bring down the mood, it was the realization that everyone you knew and loved were susceptible to ninja attacks.

Blue's impassioned claim that he would challenge the boss of Rocket Industries left a rather awkward silence on the other side of it, and for a little while, Red, Bill, and Blue sat, avoiding each other's eyes. Red managed to save the day by asking Blue if they could visit the shoreline of Cerulean Cape. Bill seemed a bit relieved to finally be able to usher them out of his house, but he ran back in as he told them to wait on his doorstep.

"I have ...er...three SS Anne passes for the party in a week's time," Bill explained as he returned, handing them over to Blue. "Looker's heading there to depart for Cinnabar Island, so you'll want to meet him there next."

"Why are you giving us three?" Blue asked. "You're not coming?"

"I was," Bill said lamely. "But I'll be honest, I'm too scared to leave the house. Maybe invite a friend? It-it's supposed to be quite an event."

He all but slammed the door in their faces, leaving Red and Blue to awkwardly walk down the porch steps.

"So, I wonder," Blue muttered, looking over the tickets. "Who else should we—"

He caught a glimpse of Red's pleading face.

"God, fine! We'll bring Yellow! Happy?"

"Yay!" Red said, actually hopping down the rest of the steps in his excitement.

* * *

"Ooh, I hate being on the water." Looker stumbled around on the small speedboat that was now skipping down Route 24's river, clutching the railing for dear life. "Clearly something that transcends even memory loss."

"What was that?" a voice said behind him, and Looker slowly and carefully turned to face the source. Misty, the gym leader of Cerulean City, was sitting up on the boat's bow, and unlike the international police officer she had found her sea legs. She gave him a small, cat-like grin. "Memory loss?"

"Not important," Looker said, and Misty snorted. At nineteen years old, she was the youngest gym leader in Kanto, and the younger sister of Cerulean City's Representative: Violet Waterlily. Given her many claims to fame, Looker had quickly come to the conclusion that the kid had an ego, and a stupid amount of confidence. "I'd prefer you ignore my ramblings, to be completely honest."

"Hey, you're lucky I'm willing to take you out here at all," Misty said. "If Sonezaki didn't tell me you were cool…"

But Looker wasn't paying attention again, instead staring nervously off over the side of the boat.

"You know, you were a lot more composed when we were on land," Misty noted with a hint of annoyance.

"Well, can you blame me?" Looker said. "We're surrounded by a dense fog. I can't see the water we're treading. It's slightly concerning."

"Oh, that reminds me," Misty said, peeling off her jacket to reveal a red bikini underneath. "I need to go see how close we've gotten to the island. Don't want our boat to be dashed against the rocks."

With the grace of a dolphin, she dove into the mist, so graceful there was hardly even a splash in the water. Realizing he was now very alone aside from the taciturn captain, Looker gripped the railing tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Distant splashing caused him to start and look into the fog, and he cursed when he saw Misty rowing a dinghy over.

"Okay," Misty giggled nervously. "Don't be mad."

"I'm not getting in that," Looker said, ashen faced.

"Would you man up?" Misty snorted. "It's about a five-minute ride. Look, I'll walk you through it. Take a minute to calm down."

Looker closed his eyes, taking a few slow deep breaths. Finally, and quite hesitantly, he stepped to the railing over the dinghy and slid one leg over the side. When he dropped onto the smaller boat, Misty was quick to grab and steady him, helping him down to his seat.

"It-it feels like we're going to tip over," Looker muttered.

"Just keep your weight in the middle and we'll be fine," Misty said, careful to keep her voice calm and consistent. "I won't start rowing until you tell me you're ready."

At Looker's nod of consent, she pulled the oars backwards, and the dinghy pushed away from the speedboat. Misty gave a salute to the captain, who returned it in kind.

What followed was a bit of an uncomfortable silence, the only real source of sound being the splatter of the oars against the water and the chirping of birds. Looker was too fidgety for conversation, and Misty was too busy pulling the dinghy back to the island shoreline.

"We're practically in a jungle," Looker said, finally breaking the ice. He had been staring across the fog at the outline of trees and vines. "Completely unexplored. I may not be comfortable on the water, but even I can admit it's beautiful."

"Yeah, we may have developed more industrialized roads and cities than Johto," Misty said, grunting with effort. "But we still have an appreciation of the natural world. Not like Unovans; urbanized bastards. Er...you're not from Unova, are you?"

"Classified," Looker said.

"Of course," Misty said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, yeah, other than the island where the clone dwells, this part of Route 24 is entirely Pokemon inhabited. Biggest habitat for them right now besides the Safari Zone."

Upon pulling up the oar from the water, she accidentally splashed Looker, who yelped and damn near threw the whole dinghy off balance.

"Okay, seriously," Misty said after a quick apology. "Aren't you a high-ranking member of the international police? If you have such a problem with water, can't you just send a man to go check for you?"

"Well," Looker said. "Let's just say that this is more of a personal investigation. An illegal, personal investigation."

"Well, pardon my lack of hospitality, but what the hell kind of business do you have with our region?" Misty asked. "What could possibly be worth the risk?"

"Classified."

"Again, of course," Misty said, clearly expecting his answer. "Well, whatever, it's your funeral."

They finally reached a small beach, and Looker was happy to jump onto the sand, dirtying his trench coat in the process. Misty dragged her boat over to its little dock, gesturing for Looker to follow her after pulling on suitable hiking footwear.

From the beach they followed a trail that led through a forest, clearly man-made, and though Looker was safely on land he couldn't abandon that prickle of fear he felt at the thought the clone was somewhere here, waiting. Perhaps it was the beast's psychic powers making him dizzy, or merely it was secondhand fear that Oak and Bill had instilled in him of a monster that was almost omnipotent. Whether it was manufactured from his mind or not, to Looker the clone's presence was suffocating.

"Hellhounds!" Misty suddenly barked. "De la brume à nous mortels!"

Looker's hand nearly dropped to the revolver in his coat pocket at the sound of movement in the high trees, but he managed to keep his hands steady. A dozen men dropped down, hitting the dirt rolling and coming up to their feet with their semi-automatic rifles pointed at the pair. They all were covered head to toe in camouflage, the look completed with painted faces and branches and leaves on their hats and shoulders. Looker would feel threatened, but their easy grins told him they were just trying to scare him. The sudden nearby barking, however, was enough to startle him.

"Pretty good response time, Jaune," Misty said, giving a slow whistle. "You guys have been working hard."

A man, clearly the captain of these men judging by the patches on his own uniform and his baring, sauntered out from behind the tree he had clearly been using as cover. He had the same expression of lax amusement as the rest of his men, a smug smile somehow still discernable with the cigarette between his lips. Two Pokemon darted around him, running up to growl at Looker; a Mightyena and a Houndoom.

"Easy, Cerberus! Easy, Fenrir!" the man said, and the dogs backed off, still baring their teeth a bit. The Houndoom was quick to whimper in happiness when Misty approached to pet him, however.

"Ah, Sirène, your accent is improving," Jaune, apparently, said. The accent in question was Kalosian. He turned to Looker, stepping towards him and revealing the fact that he was a few inches shorter than the police officer. "New boyfriend?"

"Ew, he's like twice my age," Misty snorted.

Jaune stared at Looker's face. "He seems to lack that sense of pride I see among your people, and there's no trace of Johtian arrogance either."

"Let's just say I'm from a region to the south," Looker said, shrugging. "Forgive me if I don't get specific."

Jaune let out a bark of laughter. "I'm surprised Kanto even let you into their borders, the isolationists."

Looker shrugged. "I found a way."

"And you're sure you can trust him?" Jaune asked Misty, who was now playing with both the Houndoom and the Mightyena who were yipping with joy.

"He's cool," Misty said as Fenrir licked at her face. "Helped topple Rocket during their little Mt. Moon excavation."

"Fair enough," Jaune said, and he whistled. His Hellhounds backed down, dropping their weapons. "I have to warn you against trying anything foolish though, friend."

"The Hellhounds here are mercenaries from Kalos; got paid to kick up some dust in the Indigo War," Misty explained as she led them to the clearing where the Hellhounds had set up their well-established camp. "Now they've been hired to guard the clone."

"Ah yes, the clone." Jaune's smile held no mirth. "We had managed a foothold in Johto during the war, isolating Cianwood from the rest of the region. When we watched Olivine go up in flames, we actually thought we were winning, so we rushed over to provide assistance to what we thought was a successful Kantonian invasion. You can imagine what we found instead. The Hellhounds used to be numbered in the hundreds, and now we barely count more than a few dozen. My father himself was one of the first casualties, and I had to practically drag the sorry survivors to safety myself. I was—er, Gris, how old was I at the time?"

"'Bout eleven," an older, grizzled Hellhound said. He was grinning behind his beard.

"Ah, yes. Bit of a rite of passage," Jaune said, with a rueful sort of chuckle. "Now we're on this damn island, 'protecting' something powerful enough to wipe out our company a thousand times over."

"The irony does seem a bit cruel," Looker admitted.

"Ah, C'est la vie," Jaune said, shrugging. "The way I see it, we're fortunate enough to take the first swing at the clone when it inevitably finds its thirst for destruction."

"Of course, that also means that you'll be the first ones wiped out," Misty piped up, elbowing Jaune in the shoulder.

"But can you really kill the dogs from hell?" Jaune said, suggestively wiggling his eyebrows.

"Yeah, dude. 'Hellhound' is just a stupid title."

Looker watched their banter with a bit of a smile. Though he had no real evidence to prove it, he considered himself a pretty good judge of character and they seemed like decent people.

"So, I take it you two are about to visit our psychic friend?" Jaune asked.

"Yup, far as we can go without being fried," Misty said. "Keep the place guarded in the meantime, all right?"

"Of course!" Jaune said, with a salute. "And when you return, dinner will be served. We haven't exchanged war stories in a long time."

As they left the Hellhounds at the camp, Looker ducked his head down to speak to Misty. "You seem to know him well?"

"Known him for as long as I can remember," Misty said. "Practically an older brother."

"They do seem to be decent fellows," Looker said.

"Yeah," Misty said, now looking a little put out. "It really is a shame that they're most likely screwed."

* * *

"I was going to stay quiet," Looker said, his temper beginning to rise as a tree branch had caught and ripped the sleeve of his trench coat. "But what is the point of the Psyduck?"

Misty had released the little duck from its Pokeball, and it waddled in between them, making odd quacking noises and clutching its head. Looker wasn't sure what to make of it, other than the consistent noise from the creature was beginning to get annoying.

"Psyduck's constant headaches are exacerbated by the clone's waves," Misty explained. "The more Grapes freaks out, the closer we are to the clone, so he's a good alarm system to judge how close he can get."

"Nifty," Looker said, looking down at the little duck in an entirely new light, though it wasn't exactly reassuring when it walked straight into a tree.

"You know, I'm glad someone's doing this," Misty said, ducking under a branch. "My whole life Kanto's been in this standstill, and I've been forced to guard this clone since I turned twelve, without any hope of change. Now we have someone new, potentially to change the status quo. I welcome that."

"Well, I certainly won't complain," Looker said, chuckling. "But what if I had less than noble intentions? How can you trust me?"

"I don't," Misty said sharply. "In fact, I'll have men on your butt the moment you leave the island. Hell, I'll have them gun you down if they catch wind that you report to the other regions about the clone. But, I'm willing to accept the possibility that you're sparking change."

"What would you expect me to do?" Looker asked. "I'm a mere officer—"

He stopped as Grapes the Psyduck began to shriek, his hands on his head. The Psyduck was writhing as though he were in agony.

"We've come as close as we can," Misty muttered, leading Looker to where the trees thinned. "Take a look."

There it was, an open-mouthed cave standing in between two pools. Other than the grass and the trees, there were no signs of sentient life, even despite the fresh berries growing on the bushes dotted around the little clearing. Yet Looker could feel a pressure that made his ears pop.

"That's where he lives," Looker said. It wasn't a question.

Misty smirked, picking up a stone. "Want me to prove it?"

With a grunt, she hurled it like she would a Pokeball. It was a strong throw, well aimed towards the cave's mouth-but it didn't even get close. With a crack, the stone was blown to smithereens before it had made it past the distance. A pile of smoking debris was all that remained.

"Sometimes the boys and I toss stuff at the cave as a game, see how close we get before the clone destroys it." To Looker's credit, he didn't jump when Jaune dropped from a high tree, though he did manage a startled look. "You need to make your own fun here."

"You followed us?" Looker asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Had to be sure you weren't up to anything dastardly," Jaune said, patting the side arm in his pocket. "Like attacking Misty or trying to fight the clone."

"You came to stop me from fighting the clone?"

"Oh, hell no! We'd come to watch you get turned to charcoal!" Jaune laughed. "We even make popcorn for occasions such as these."

"Point is, you try to get closer, you die," Misty said, matter-of-factly. "Even entering the clone's range is suicide. Rocket will have a hard job even getting close to thing."

"I'm not sure if that fact is comforting or not," Looker said, staring at the cave a moment longer before turning. "Well, I've seen all I need to see."

"Oh?" Jaune said. "And why is that? What exactly are you planning to do with this information?"

"Nothing," Looker said. "Because I still don't have enough information. I'll be catching the S.S. Anne for its departure to Cinnabar island. I'd hoped to meet the clone in person, but since there's a dead end, the second-best thing is investigating its place of origin."

"With the two Hellhounds I'm ordering to stay at your side, of course," Misty said, folding her arms.

"I have no qualms, as long as they don't blow my cover," Looker said, already beginning his walk back to the boat.

He could hear a bit of whispering between Jaune and Misty, no doubt appraising him and deciding which two Hellhounds would be best suited in following him. He had accepted the lack of trust he'd received, was ready to only rely on himself.

What, he was not ready for, however, was the boat ride back. The thought made him shiver.

* * *

"Hey, uh, does he do this a lot?" Rocket asked.

Red and Rocket were relaxing by the shore on beach chairs they had appropriated from Bill's shed (the techie didn't seem to use it very often, given the cobwebs.). Blue, on the other hand, had merely taken off his shoes and stepped ankle deep into the water, muttering to himself as he paced back and forth. He had been at it long enough for the sun to cast a tall shadow behind him.

"Oh, all the time," Red said, leaning comfortably back in his chair. "Usually when he's stressed. He gets super introspective and analytical when he has pressure put on him."

"Well, I mean, I guess the revelation that his sister is being held hostage by ninjas is heft a weight as anything," Rocket said. "Hell of a shock, and I excel at those."

Red snorted. "Really, a pun? Now?"

"There's always a time for puns, Red."

Red joined the Pikachu in snickering, but his expression soon changed to something a bit hard to read.

"Look, honestly I wonder if Blue's solution to just press on is the best one," he admitted. "Blue's the smartest guy I've ever met, and, I don't know, it almost feels like he's ignoring the problem?"

"Well, what would you do, kid?"

"That's the thing, I have no idea!" Red said. "Blue was always the one with the plan, the guy that I could trust to get out of the messes that I usually put us into, but now, I mean...people are at stake, and while I usually just went with whatever he did, regardless if I understood it or not…"

He sat up, kicking at the sand. "Now, with who's at risk, I don't think I can do that anymore."

Rocket seemed to take a second to decide what he wanted to say. "Well, er, I may have a simple solution. To the ninjas at least, I know shit about what we can do against Mewtwo."

"Oh?"

"Look, er, like I said, ninjas may be dangerous to you humans, but compared to what a Pokemon is capable of…" Rocket swallowed, a little uncomfortably. "I know guys who could silence them pretty quickly."

"Wait, like...you want to kill them?" Red whispered.

"Pokemon die, Red, and sometimes we kill," Rocket said. "We're literally design for combat. Hell, right here? For an oran berry, I could get a Spearow to peck out a ninja's eyes. For a sitrus? I could get the whole flock to claw them up so badly you wouldn't even be able to tell what sex they were."

"Sweet Arceus," Red said, horrified. "Well, er, don't do that!"

"Yeah, I'm not overly fond of the idea either," Rocket said, a bit green himself. "Anyway, I could easily contact a few people, get some old friends to look after your mom and Blue's sister. Catch is, you wouldn't be able to tell Blue."

Red chewed his lip. "Well, I mean, do whatever you can. I don't want to kill anyone, but if they need to be defended…"

"I get ya, kid," Rocket said. "In the meantime, I'll see if I can't send some scouts after them. If I were a betting Pikachu, I'd guess the ninjas were from Fuchsia."

"Fuchsia?"

"Yeah, old timey city, founded by Johtian refugees who crossed the border during the war. They're about the only city in Kanto with a taste for Johto's culture, and the ninjas were once Ho-Oh's proud instruments of warfare, so I mean, if anything it's a good place to start."

"In the meantime, we really should start training," Red said, finally standing. "First thing, tomorrow. You'll be my ace, so we gotta shape you up, and I want Groot to evolve and get a lot more combat experience, since you two are the only ones I feel safe using against a water type trainer. A lot of them are psychic, so that rules out Jackie, and I wouldn't want to get a Butterfree's wings wet."

"Look at you, big tactician," Rocket snickered, jumping on Red's head to give him a noogie. Blue, hearing their laughter, finally broke out of his daze and came up to see what the noise was about.

"So, hey, Blue, I was wondering if you wanted a quick battle to decide who would get to battle Misty first," Red said, he and Rocket sharing matching confident grins. "I still need revenge for the last time you kicked my butt."

Blue managed a small, twisted smile. "Our 'battle' was that Nugget Bridge challenge race, which I won pretty handily. Besides, I decided not to hit up Cerulean's gym until a bit later. I just don't have the type advantage right now. Vermilion's gym will be easier for where I'm at right now. Besides, I wanted to catch Looker before he ran off to Cinnabar."

"Psssh, you're a coward," Red said, sticking out his tongue. "Scared that I'm catching up to you?"

Blue winked. "We'll battle when we meet at the SS Anne, give the partygoers a good show. In the meantime, try to kick Misty's ass before I defeat Lieutenant Surge."

It wasn't the end of their conversation or their time together; they still had their long walk back to Cerulean City, but there was little banter or barbs between them. Instead, Red walked his bike beside Blue and Blue kept a hand on Red's shoulder. It was a comforting feeling, knowing your greatest rival was first and foremost your best friend.

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	25. Friends or Bitches?

If there was one trait Green would admit she'd shared with Red, it was the inability to fall asleep on long drives. Yellow would curl up in a little ball, so used to awkward sleeping arrangements her whole life, and be out in a few minutes, while Blue would be snoring from almost the moment he sat down. Red, on the other hand, couldn't sit still, and Green was prone to motion sickness, so she had a lot of memories chatting with Red when Oak took them on long trips.

She missed her friends a lot, but James mumbling into her shoulders exacerbated the sentiment quite a bit. He was muttering about some lake spirits that his region worshiped.

A week ago, she'd do anything to get out of the sweltering hellhole that was Mt. Moon. Now, in a sweaty bus crowded with her fellow "Rocketeers", as she had taken to calling them, she found herself wishing she were back. At least the cave gave her room to breathe.

The men had always been friendly to Green, but the fact was that they just didn't have that familial relationship with her that they did with each other. Ross occasionally turned in his seat to offer some small talk in between his own naps, and Benny in the back gave her a weak smile once or twice, but everyone else seemed to ignore her. Very loudly in fact; now they were fighting over what program they could play on the tiny television strapped up above their heads behind the driver's seat.

Green had wanted to at the very least let loose her Pokemon from their balls, but the bus had a strict 'No Pokemon Policy.'

To surmise, traveling sucked.

Not so subtly elbowing James awake, Green peered out the window. Still that dusty, winding road with no human establishments in sight. Hell, no signs of life at all besides the occasional Diglett popping up to look at the bus intruding their territory. "God, how far away could Fuchsia possibly be?"

"If I had to guess?" James said. "We're not far from Diglett's Cave. I hope you like the little buggers, because they're only going to be more common."

"And is that close…?"

"Diglett's Cave isn't far from the halfway point."

"God. Dammit." Green began to kick the back of the seat in front of her in frustration. "I swear I will walk the rest of the way, just get me off this fucking—"

"Hey, watch where you're aiming!" Ross rasped. "What the hell are you kicking me for?"

Green tried for a winning smile. "To get you to pay attention to me?"

Ross snorted at that. "I can't believe I'm gonna have to take orders from you, pip-squeak."

"What, I gotta be a step up from him," Green said, pointing at James.

"Hey!" James said indignantly.

"No, no, she has a point." Ross leaned over the seat and flicked him. "I'd take orders from her over you any day."

"I miss when I was treated with respect," James moaned. He started, leaning out his head to see around Ross's head. "Wait, is that Red?"

Green jumped to her feet, as though she had just realized she was sitting on something uncomfortable. "Red?"

The tv had been said to a Cerulean City gym match, apparently, and Green felt a surge of excitement when she saw Misty. Green stepped out of the aisle, placing a hand on a seat to steady her against the rocking of the bus as she moved to take a closer look. Fortunately, the audio was working fairly well.

From what she could tell, Misty's gym was an Olympic sized swimming pool that the Pokemon she had sent out, Staryu, was using to its advantage, skipping along the water with well-practiced grace. Misty herself stood on a diving board, her arms folded and wearing her signature cocky smile that often reminded Green of Blue's. God, she was so damn cool.

She was indeed fighting Red; Green would recognize that stupid hat anywhere. While Misty had free reign over her aquatic battlefield, the Pokemon Red had sent out was an Ivysaur. Floating platforms circled around the pool, giving the grass type room to move, though it was clear who had the advantage. In fact, the Ivysaur seemed rooted (Green hated that Red had infected her mind with a subconscious desire to turn everything into a pun) to one platform, casting out his vines futilely while the Staryu literally swam circles around him.

"Use confusion, Patrick!" Misty shouted, and the Ivysaur squealed in pain as an invisible force slammed into him and almost threw him off his platform. Green noted with a grim sense of satisfaction that the match would be over if he fell into the water. As it was, the poor dear was clinging to his platform for dear life, eyes tightly closed.

"Hey, James, isn't he the guy that kicked your ass in a battle?" Ross piped up, and James went red.

"It...it was a draw!" he protested.

Green glanced back to snort at him. "You were losing badly. Miguel and I had to save your ass."

"Still, kid ain't doing too well, is he?" Ross said, nodding at the fight. Patrick was twirling around to dodge a leech seed attack, before following up with a jet of water that blasted the Ivysaur off his feet. He landed into the water with a splash, and the Staryu shot forwards, aiming for the kill.

"Take the hit and use vine whip!" Red ordered.

Patrick struck hard, sending the Ivysaur somersaulting backwards in the water, but the grass type had succeeded in wrapping his vines around two of the Staryu's points. Patrick shot this way and that through the water in an attempt to shake the grass type off, yet the Ivysaur held on, and Green was reminded of a jet ski.

"That's gotta be the weirdest fuckin' battle strategy I've ever seen in my life," Ross said, as the Ivysaur finally caught hold of a platform with his legs, and with the the foothold he had now gained, used his strength to throw the Staryu out of the pool and watch him crash against the wall. Patrick hit the ground, the light in his core blinking dazedly.

"Go, Groot, go!" Red shouted. "Finish him off!"

Groot took off in an awkward doggie paddle, making his way towards where the Staryu was lying.

"Hurry, Groot Hurry!"

Groot tried to pull himself up onto a platform but slipped, splashing back into the water.

"Forget about the platform, Groot, just swim the rest of the way!"

Letting out a whimper, Groot went back to his awkward swimming, a slow but steady odyssey towards the other side of the pool.

"Um, take your time, Groot!" Red said, scratching the back of his head. "I uh...I believe in you!"

It took a few moments, but Groot managed to paddle over to the pool wall. With a grunt, he put both feet over the side and tried to pull himself up, but just didn't have the upper body strength. After a few attempts, he gave up, going back to paddling along the pool lining.

"What...what the hell are you doing, Groot?" Red asked.

"Is he ...going to take the stairs?" Misty said.

Sure enough, Groot found the ladder leading up and out of the water. Wrapping vines around the handhelds, he stumbled up the steps and rolled over on his side, taking a few deep breaths.

"Okay, Groot! I know you want a rest, and that was really resourceful of you, but I just need you to follow through!" Red said patiently. "Can you do that for me, buddy?"

Groot pulled himself to his feet and waddled over to where the Staryu was still trying to recover from its stupor. Groot halfheartedly slapped Patrick's core with a vine, and the Staryu collapsed, the light in his core vanishing.

"Hell yeah!" Red cried, as Groot performed a little victory dance over the unconscious Staryu. "One Pokemon down! You're a badass, Groot!"

"Oh my god," Green said, blinking to try and process what she had just seen.

"That was, erm, wow," James said. "That is, well, good for him?"

"That's the most pathetic thing I think I've ever seen in my life," Ross said, shaking his head and disbelief. "I kinda want to see how this is gonna end—"

And just like that, something powerful slammed into the bus, and it was sent spinning off the road, screeching.

Green, who had been standing, had been thrown off her feet and hit her head against a window. Jessie, moving surprisingly quickly on her heels, managed to catch and steady her. The driver managed to shove his foot on the breaks to bring the bus to a painful halt.

"Who the hell did that," Green hissed, clutching her pounding head. "I swear, if I have a concussion, I'm suing somebody."

"Oh, heads up," Ross said, peering out the window. "It's our old friends."

"No way you fuckers have friends," Green growled, pushing him out of the way to peer out as well.

About a dozen men on motorcycles had begun to circle around; gruff looking men in muscle shirts and leather pants. Some of them carried firearms, and between the bus and the bikes stood a very intimidating looking Poliwrath, its fist still glowing from the focus punch it had used to throw the bus off the road.

"Okay, well, I take it back," Green grunted. "If you fuckers had friends, they'd probably look like that."

"Kanto's Heartbreakers," James said. His face had gone white. "No good gang that practically runs all the roads in the southernmost parts of Kanto, keeping people out of Fuchsia city."

"And we didn't anticipate that they wouldn't stop us?" Green asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, we made a deal with them, offered them a percentage of whatever we stole from the Mt. Moon project," James said. "Unfortunately, as you well know, things went south. We were sort of trying to er, skirt around them?"

"C'mon now, everyone outside of the bus! It's too hot to pull any of this bullshit!"

"Oh, wonderful," Ross spat. "Charles himself is leading them."

"Jesus, you guys do need me," Green muttered. "You think we can't take them?"

"They're huge, and some of them have guns," Jessie drawled. "We'd rather not try."

"Well, you know what?" Green said, unclipping a Pokeball. "Avoiding conflict is for pussies. James, I want your Koffing to create a smoke cloud around the bus if they make any aggressive movements; if they shoot at us, they won't know what they're aiming out, and by blowing up the bus they're risking losing our supplies. Everyone, gas masks on. Stay inside."

"Er, on it," James said, unclipping his own Pokeball. Green, on the other hand, sauntered toward the front, pressing the button that automatically opened the doors.

"Green, what the hell are you doing?" Jessie hissed from where she was crouching.

"Well, I gotta have a bit of fun with this, don't I?" Green said with a wink.

She was sure the Heartbreakers weren't expecting a teenage girl confidently hop down from the bus onto the dusty road, nor for her to shout a quick "hello!" She hid a sharp feeling of fear when some of them pointed their rifles at her with a smile.

"I'm the leader of this crew, how can I help you guys?" she asked. The bikers stared at her with disbelief. "Can I talk to this Charles guy I heard about? You know, man to man?"

If she knew anything about boys, it was that pride got the better of their judgement. Sure enough, the circle split to allow the biggest, tallest of the bikers stomp over to her, a small hand-gun pointed at her. It was to him that the Poliwrath deferred to, stepping to his side.

Staring at his brutal face, she gave a long whistle. "Damn, perfect jawline. Where have you been all my life, Chuck?"

"Charles," the man said, in a surprisingly soft voice. He didn't drop his gun. "Is this some sort of joke? You look awfully green."

"That's my name, don't wear it out," Green said, careful to keep her eyes on his face and not the gun he was pointing at her. "Look, I have to know, what's your deal? Handsome guys like you causing all this trouble?"

"I'm not wasting time telling you our backstory." He was baring his teeth, the puzzlement he once felt now clearly giving away to anger. "We know about the shit that went down in Mt. Moon, we know you don't have our payment. It's gonna have to come out of your own pocket, or you'll be Diglett food."

"I'm sure we can work out a new gig, Chuck," Green said. "Rocket's the second most successful company in the region. Just give us some time, allow us a quick trip to Fuchsia…"

"You ain't getting into Fuchsia," Charles said. "Not unless you fork over your shit."

"Hey, you guys have bikes," Green said. "Escort us to Fuchsia. Hold me hostage, I don't give a damn. We're exhausted; our loot isn't worth much. A quick trip to the nearest city and you make a killing."

Charles' expression changed, and Green realized she had screwed up. "You _are_ green, and also stupid. We ain't dumb enough to touch Fuchsia, not with who guards it. Is this some kinda joke, no way you're the leader!"

His yelling got his fellow bikers' attention, and Green watched in horror as they reached for their Pokeballs.

"Fine, you want me to prove I'm serious?" Green snapped, forcing Charles' hungry look at the bus back to her instead. "Pokemon battle, one on one. If you lose, you let us go."

Charles snorted. "I'm not playing games with you, Greenhorn. My boys are gonna kick the shit out of you."

"Hey guys, check it out!" Green shouted. "Your boss is too much of a pussy to battle against a teenage girl!"

She had appealed to the right crowd. Soon they were jeering, demanding he kick her ass. She watched the peer pressure force him to relent and smiled smugly.

"And if I win?" he asked. She had him. "Us getting all your shit if we win isn't enough. We'd do that anytime. You gotta make this fight worth it for me."

Gee, what would a group of hyper masculine thugs want more than anything? Green bit her lip, already regretting what she was about to say.

"I get the impression you guys might be wanting for, er, pleasurable company," Green said, forcing herself to stop from shivering. "Maybe, if I lost, well…"

Charles's eyes went wide. "Who the fuck do you think we are? We're thugs, not monsters!"

"Okay, okay, fair enough," Green said. "Assuming makes an ass out of you and me. Fine then, what do you want, Chuck?"

For the first time, Charles actually smiled. "When I win, you're gonna help us get into Fuchsia. I'm sick of living out in camps and trailers. We're done deferring to those Johtian shitheads."

"Deal," Green said, and they shook hands. It was a horrible deal; imagine if these idiots were in charge of an entire city? But it wouldn't come to that. "Your Poliwrath against my Nidorino. No using Pokemon to attack the trainers; we're not animals."

He watched as she unclipped a singular Pokeball from her belt. "Gerald!"

The Nidorino burst out of his ball, pawing the ground. He grunted in challenge to the Poliwrath, who followed suit.

Green blinked. "Okay, so how do you want to call it—"

"Use water pulse, Rash!" Charles growled. The Poliwrath sprung forward, forming a ball of water in his hand that he threw towards Gerald, who promptly rolled out of the way.

"Double kick!" Green shouted back, and Gerald pounced as the Poliwrath stepped back into a defensive position. Gerald aimed vicious kicks that bounced off his opponent's beefy arms.

"Focus punch!" Charles shouted. Gerald lunged, only for Rash to slap him aside with his gloved hand. With all of his might he swung a glowing fist, and the Nidorino only just was able to dive out of the way in time. Rash's fist struck the road enough to crack it.

"He's got heart, Greenhorn, but he just ain't on the same level as Rash," Charles said. "And that doesn't even take into factor the type advantage. Just give up; I don't want to hurt your little porcupine."

At that little jab, Gerald roared in indignance, turning back to glare at his trainer as if to dare her to retreat. Green did no such thing however, and merely shook her head.

"Fine, we'll do this the hard way! Rash, water pulse! Make sure this one hits home!"

"Gerald, poison sting!" Green snapped in response.

Any confidence Rash had was gone, and he abandoned his attempt to form a water pulse in order to jump to the side to avoid the tiny poison needles Gerald shot from his horn.

"You can't be serious," Charles hissed, looking just as scared as his Pokemon. "I mean, you wouldn't…"

"It's miles away from the nearest city, Chuck," Green said, letting her smile shift into a sneer. "You can overpower me, but no one overpowers poison. One hit, and he's basically a goner.

"I'd back out now, Chuck," Green said, as Gerald prepared to fire another attack. "Wouldn't want to hurt your little frog."

"That's it you little prick!" Charles said, finally losing his temper. "Rash, destroy it before it can use poison sting again!"

The Poliwrath ran forward, recklessly outstretching both arms. Charles had practically gone rabid, spit flying from his mouth in his desperate attempt to finish Green early. Gerald tensed, ready to fight, but he didn't need to.

Because bursting out of the Pokeball hidden up Green's sleeve and flying in between him and Rash was Carmello the Voltorb, the Pokemon once owned by Miguel.

Rash the Poliwrath didn't even get a chance to react before Carmello slammed into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Before he could even think of recovering, the Voltorb blasted him with electricity, probably far more than necessary. Rash toppled backwards, and Carmello jumped at Charles, who didn't seem to know where to aim his gun.

"Thunder wave!" Green ordered, and an electrified aura formed around the biker. Wailing, he collapsed to his knees. Gerald jumped forward, pressing his horn to Charles' throat, and Green kicked him on his back.

"You...you said no attacking the trainers," Charles said in disbelief.

"Yeah, I don't play by the fucking rules," Green growled. She stepped over her body and looked to the crowd of bikers watching her in disbelief. "All right, it's time for some changes around here!"

Grabbing the knife in Charles's pocket, she forced his paralyzed body to his feet and held it to his neck. She had never handled an actual knife before, but she hoped it looked convincing. Gerald and Carmello helped, glaring fiercely from her side.

"But our deal, we were just gonna let you go," he said, trying to fight the status condition.

"Yeah well, I changed my mind," Green said. "You guys were literally trying to rob and potentially murder us; do you really think you have the moral high ground?"

"I played by the rules!" Charles protested. "You cheated!"

"I play by my own rules, hon," Green said, shrugging. "Consider this your first ever Rotation Battle."

"You just made that up!"

"Okay, quiet down," Green said, flicking his ear. "All right, you assholes get down here! Drop your weapons and pokeballs."

They clearly were loyal to their leader. Gingerly setting their balls and guns on the ground, they gathered around the pair, hands in the air. Green counted about a dozen of them.

"This all your men?" Green said to Charles, who bit his lip. She flicked his ear again.

"Oww, stop it, woman!" Charles snapped. "We have another dozen overlooking Cycling Road. That's it, I promise."

"Quality over quantity, eh?"

"Who needs an army when you have twelve Pokemon strong enough to take one on?"

"Fair enough," Green said, nodding back to the bus. Her allies piled out, led by Jessie and James. They held their pokeballs at the ready. "You men are getting a second chance at life!"

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" a lean man with a mohawk snapped.

"It means that we're all on the same side," Green said. "Some of you guys look pretty old; I assume you fought in the war?"

A few men nodded, one man in his sixties wearing a bandanna and a horseshoe moustache spitting on the ground.

"A bunch of us lost our parents in the war as well," Charles elaborated. "Look, what's your point, Greenhorn?"

"Well, it's my plan to kill the monster who wiped out so many of Kanto's armies without a trace, who Kanto continues to hide from us. Veterans, you have to know what I'm talking about."

Charles looked up at the man with the bandanna. "Judd? You know what the hell she means?"

Something was written across Judd's face. Puzzlement? Regret? "We were fighting filthy Johtians, and then… Well, the ones that made it out never seemed to remember. There was one that did…but the moment he tried to speak about it—"

His arms were shaking a bit as he spoke, and he reached for a weapon that wasn't there, he'd left it back with the bikes when they'd surrendered. "Something killed him. Snapped his neck. Something we couldn't see."

"I look at you guys and I see people just trying to get through life, trying to recover from a horrible, shitty war that we had no say in," Green said. "I recently learned that the monster who caused so much pain, caused so much bloodshed, lives free within our borders. Kanto's! Borders!"

She had worked herself up now, the last two words coming out as a bark. "I for one will not let that continue. I think Rocket Industries is full of shit if I'm being honest. But in order to win, to secure a better future for Kanto and for ourselves, we need to use its resources!"

"We love you too, Greenie!" Ross said.

"Help us out," Green said, ignoring Ross. "Not whoever controls everything in this goddamn region, but us. Me. Now, I could totally force this of you, but I actually want to make friends. I want men who fight for a cause they believe in."

"And what do you want us to do?" the man with the mohawk asked. Maybe she had piqued their interest?

"Well, first, not too much differently from what you've been doing thus far," Green said. "Rob poor travelers blind, hold hostages, control trade routes and cause property damage. But you'll do it under my jurisdiction right now. We'll find a foothold between Rocket and the clone, gain an even more powerful influence in Kanto that the borders of Fuchsia City."

She nudged Charles. "How you feel about me now, Chuck?"

"Uh, a little scared. A little aroused."

"Awesome, that's totally what I was going for!" Green said, slapping him on the back. "So, what do you guys say? We do this the easy way or the hard way? I'm willing to do both, but I prefer to treat you as friends rather than well, my bitches."

The bikers snorted at this, some of them even breaking into laughter, Green smiled up at Charles.

"Did I win you over?"

Charles sighed. "You're gonna be an interesting one. Just get rid of the damn paralysis."

* * *

Now that the Rockets and Heartbreakers were more intimate allies, there was a surprising lack of hostility between them. Judd nearly broke James's hand when he shook it, and Jessie at one point had to be held back from attacking someone who wolf-whistled, but other than that she found there was a sense of camaraderie between the two groups. Their lifestyles weren't too different, after all.

"What happened to the whole poison gas plan?" Ross asked, stepping up behind her.

"Eh, just wanted to get you guys doing something productive while I saved the day," Green said.

"Kinda reckless of you, though?"

"Look, Sabrina made me a leader, and I don't know, I feel like I have to work up to the title." Green sighed. "No one's ever expected anything of me before. I guess I just got carried away."

"You uh, you really are ready to fight the clone, huh," Ross said in an appraising sort of way.

"What do you mean, of course I am," Green said. "What, are you not?"

"Well, believe me when I say I want the thing dead," Ross said. "But still, we kinda just kick up dust, follow orders cuz Rocket pays us. You're the first one that seems to be actually leading us somewhere."

"You realize I have no idea what I'm doing?" Green said, raising an eyebrow.

"You'll figure it out, I'm sure of it." He patted her on the shoulder and stepped off to talk to a few of the bikers he had made friends with.

"Yeah well, thank Miguel for leading us in this direction, not me!" Green called after him. "He's the one that wanted me in charge! For whatever reason."

Still playing Ross's words in her head, she walked over to where Charles was cleaning the dirt off his motorcycle with a rag. He had been sprayed with a full heal to take care of his paralysis, but his movements still seemed a little stiff. His eyes met hers as he heard her footsteps.

"Who's Miguel?" he asked, focusing on his bike.

"Guy that died. Used to own that Voltorb, so you can thank him for the win against you as well."

"Ah."

"I have one more condition, by the way," Green said. "Just came up with it now."

"And that condition is?"

"I want a bike," Green said, gesturing to his. "And lessons."

Charles glanced up a head, confused. "The hell do you need a motorcycle for?"

"Uh, they're badass?" Green said, punching him playfully on the shoulder. "Your boss needs a cool entrance."

"Y'know, you're confident now," Charles grunted. He rose to dust off his pants. "But that shit-eating grin will fade the second you get to Fuchsia."

"You know, you guys are really building that city up, I better not be disappointed with what's there." She cleared her throat, making sure it sounded as obnoxious as possible. "Less talking, more biking."

Charles muttered something about Green reminding him of his mother, but he didn't protest. "All right, hop on already."

Sitting behind him with her arms around his waist, Green turned to look at the other bikers mounting their motorcycles. She also cast a glance to the Rocket grunts piling back up in the bus. She couldn't help but give a little devilish smile.

"Oh god, I don't think I wanna know what that expression means," Charles whimpered.

"It means that I literally have a bad boy harem now," Green said, giggling maniacally. "Onwards, gentlemen!"

"For the love of—" but the rest of Charles' bemoaning was lost of the loud roar of the igniting engines; the party headed towards Fuchsia now doubled in number.

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	26. Misty

Star-Lord the Charmeleon (honestly the name was a mouthful, but his trainer seemed happy to give it to him) was watching Groot's battle against Misty's Staryu with increasing distaste. He supposed he understood why he wasn't chosen for the gym battle, in fact he'd like to stay as far away from water as possible, but it didn't make the Ivysaur's desperate flailing any easier to watch.

He, Jackie, and Lucina were sitting in the stands with a middle-aged man who smelled like coffee and often laughed big belly laughs. Needless to say, the Charmeleon wasn't in the best mood.

"Hey, man, you could be a little more enthusiastic," Jackie said, nudging him. "Our teammate is fighting for his trainer's honor."

"Poorly," Star-Lord said, wincing when a water attack knocked Groot into the water. "At this point Red should just call him back, let the Pikachu take over. I've seen him fight; he's got a way better shot."

"Yeah, and then when he has to fight the next Pokemon blind?" Lucina drawled. "Red wants Rocket well rested against Misty's strongest Pokemon; he said as much last night, remember?"

"Eh, I prefer to be a man of action," Star-Lord said, grinning and showing her his sharp teeth. "Still, anyone wanna bet on the little shrub pulling this off? I'll give ya nice odds, considering there's no chance."

"Star, c'mon," Jackie said. "We're supposed to be supportive and not exploit the ambiguity over our teammates' competence, right Lucina?"

"Oh, hell no," the Butterfree said. "I want in on this action. Lay the berries on the table, fire crotch."

"Oh, well in that case I have no more reservations!" Jackie giggled. "Let's do this shit."

* * *

There it was, Misty's second, and significantly stronger, Pokemon; Starmie. In truth, it looked like a jacked up Staryu. Bigger, with more points, and from what Rocket could tell, much more powerful telekinetically. Red offered words of encouragement, and he jumped off his trainers' shoulder, hopping to the nearest platform over the water.

Everything seemed so much bigger now that he was on the battlefield. The swimming pool itself seemed to stretch for miles, and both trainers seemed far beyond his reach. He forced his paws to stop shaking as he crouched down in his battle stance. It was just him and the Starmie, him and the Starmie—

"Use thundershock, Rocket!" he heard, and he was already moving, focusing his power. The second his trainer had called the move, the Starmie had started moving and—just his luck, she was twice as fast as the Staryu had been as well. Rocket focused his powers and released from his cheeks concentrated lightning. The Starmie smoothly veered to avoid it.

"Bubblebeam, Shuriken!" Misty shouted in response, but Rocket was quick on his feet as well. Flipping to another platform, he watched as the Starmie's blast cracked the foundation he had been standing on moments before. Seeing an opening, he launched another thundershock, but Shuriken simply dropped into the water and the attack sailed over her head.

"Your Pikachu actually knows some moves," Misty crowed, clapping her hands. "I was worried your dinky little Ivysaur was the best you had."

"Groot is not dinky, he's a king!" Red shouted back. "And Rocket is just as kingly! Show 'em, buddy!"

"Rapid spin, Shuriken!" Misty snapped.

"Rocket, use slam!"

The Starmie burst out of the water, points spinning like a chainsaw, and Rocket jumped off his platform to meet her in the air. He spun, swinging his tail for Shuriken's core, but she was quick enough to twist her body so that his strike met her spinning points. Their power was equal, and the impact shoved them backwards. Rocked managed to hit another platform, rolling, while Shuriken merely dove back into the pool.

"Looks like we're at a stalemate, Misty," Red said, but Misty's confident smile didn't change.

"You got moxie, but you forget that we have full control over the battlefield," Misty said. "Shuriken, use psychic!"

Rocket tensed, ready for an invisible force to strike him, but there was no affiliation. Instead, he saw the platforms rise from the water, beginning to spin.

"Ah, shit," the Pikachu muttered, when Misty snapped a finger and the platforms flew towards him.

"Bounce off the platforms!" Red ordered. "Whatever you do, just keep moving!"

Conscious that if he slipped up, he'd tumble into the water, he jumped once more, kicking off from platform to platform before each one crashed back into the water. Behind him, he heard a telltale splash that meant that Shuriken was jumping out of the pool once more.

Slapping his tail against the platform he was jumping on to flip it over, he used his momentum to swat it again with his tail, send it flying towards the Starmie. Unfortunately, it stopped in the air a few inches away from Shuriken, who focused her power to throw it right back at him. The platform struck him in the stomach, dragging him with it in its path to the gym wall, which Rocket crashed against with a resounding crack. Misty hadn't even flinched at the impact.

Now on the other side of the gym, he could see Red's face and the look of horror on it. That wasn't very inspiring. He felt the platform digging into his chest, and he let out a yelp of pain.

"Thundershock, Rocket!" He heard his trainer call. He closed his eyes and tightened his cheeks, but the familiar hum of electric power was silenced when the platform pushed him even tighter against the wall, and he gasped.

"Rocket, it doesn't have to be a light show, just make the stupid starfish let you go!"

Easy for you to say, your ribs weren't being cracked by this... Another shot of blinding pain. Stupid... Tears were being squeezed out of his eyes. Goddamn...platform...

As he felt something separate in his shoulders, he was reminded of his parents, of Viridian Forest. He had been happy there, happy enough to evolve, but weak. He remembered when he was a boy and couldn't seem to understand how to use his cheeks to generate his electricity; he had been mocked for creating weak spark between his fingers instead. But he had improved since then. He was stronger, wasn't he?

He remembered two pieces of wisdom his parents had bestowed upon him when he first left their little colony. From his mother: "Though you'll always move past your mistakes, always be sure to remember why you made them in the first place." And from his father: "Whoever it was that invented black jellybeans deserves to be burned at the stake."

The second one wasn't very helpful, so Rocket decided to just focus on his mother. Pooling his remaining power, not in his cheeks but his arm, he felt lightning crackle between his fingertips. It was feeble, but it was there.

He lifted a paw towards Shuriken and snapped his fingers, a thin line of electricity shooting out and striking the Starmie straight in the core.

It wasn't a powerful blast, but it was enough to surprise her and force her to drop her psychic power. It was enough for the Starmie to shudder in pain long enough for Rocket to use his tail as a springboard to bounce against the wall and launch towards her. It was enough for him to tackle her into the water.

He ignored Red's shout of glee and Misty's cry of fear, putting all of his effort into his grueling and painful jump. He imagined Shuriken was every bully that made fun of him for being chubby and pathetic, every opponent he couldn't defeat. He pressed a paw to Shuriken's core and let loose the energy that his cheeks were screaming to be released; volts and volts of electricity emptying straight into the Starmie. He didn't let go, not even when he felt his paws and face go numb. Not even when the Starmie stopped fighting back.

His body finally gave, and he fell off the Starmie, splashing into the water. Weakly swimming to one of the few platforms that hadn't been disturbed, he held onto it tightly. Pulling himself up, he stared at his opponent, who was floating motionless on the water.

Was it…?

His body shut down, and his head slumped against the platform.

* * *

"I didn't-" Red stammered, running over to where the two Pokemon lay. "Is she…?"

Misty didn't answer the question, raising a shaky hand to recall the Starmie back into her Pokeball. For a moment, Red was afraid it didn't work. Then whatever technology the Pokeball used seemed to detect some sign of life in Shuriken, and she entered the red light that was sucked back into the ball.

"She's alive," Misty said, and she jumped from her diving board to the platform Rocket was lying on. Scooping him up in her hands, she looked him over. "And your Pikachu will need medical attention, but he'll be fine as well."

"I'm so sorry," Red whispered, as Misty pressed a button on her remote to sink the pool below the gym, she herself floating out with the help of yet another psychic Pokemon. "I didn't know he'd lash out like that—"

"It happens, Red," Misty said, shrugging. Her eyes were resigned. "Pokemon are violent. It's in their nature to fight and even kill. Part of being a trainer is understanding that we're exploiting that."

"Well, yeah, but… I didn't really think it happens in official matches," Red said. "I thought we were being monitored!"

"We are, but there's only so much we can do," Misty said. "In fact, the more powerful Pokemon become, the higher the risk of serious injury or death rises. If you're a gym leader, even someone like me who's only been one for a little while...it happens a lot."

"But then," Red couldn't help but shake a little. "But then why…?"

Kenny, walking up behind him, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Cuz it's how we bond best with Pokemon. Hell, it's why Pokemon tolerate us at all as a species. They like that we make them strong. They like proving their strength and so do we. It's a fact in Pokemon psychology that Pokemon are both happier and healthier with trainer influence than they ever are in the wild."

"Okay," Red said, after a breath. "All right. Sorry. It's just, I guess it didn't feel real to me until right now."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, you were a good opponent!" Misty said, holding out a hand for Red to shake. "Certainly unconventional, but I say you won the Cascade Badge pretty handily."

She pressed it into his hand, but somehow it felt heavier to Red than the Boulder Badge had been. He was still staring at it as he wandered over to the gym heavy doors, his Pokemon dutifully climbing down from the stands to follow him.

"Hey, uh, listen, we can talk about this if you're bothered about what happened," Kenny said. Red nodded in appreciation but waved him off, giving him his signature 'Red' grin to fake triumph over his victory. Kenny looked like he didn't buy it, but he left him alone.

Rocket was moaning into Red's shoulder, and Red broke off into a run, figuring he'd better get into the Center as soon as possible.

* * *

"What's up with the boss?" Star-Lord said. He and the rest of Red's team were waiting in the Center lobby for Red to finish up his visit with Rocket. "He won; shouldn't he be happy?"

"Yeah, what's up with that?" Jackie agreed. "No one even was seriously injured. Not like someone will never be able to battle again or anything."

"Well, yeah, but humans aren't as prone to violence as we are," Groot piped up. "It was one of the first things I learned in my Human Psychology classes."

"Oh, they're violent as hell," Lucina said, rolling her eyes. "They as a species just think they're too good for it. They go on about pacifism and freedom for everyone, but then they get into those ridiculous high scale conflicts. They don't need to fight for survival, so they find other avenues to use their bloodlust."

"Yeah, well, he better not get pissy at Rocket because he was doing his job," Star-Lord said. "It was embarrassing; no sense of professionalism! At least the gym leader was composed."

"Well, Red's only been at this for a few weeks," Jackie said, shrugging her shoulders. "He'll learn to be more detached, actually take pride in his victories. I mean he'll have to."

"Yeah, what if he loses one of us and falls to pieces?" Star-Lord said. "He'd be better off being a breeder."

"Can we not talk about it?" Groot mumbled. "I really don't want to think about losing you guys."

"It happens, kid," Lucina said. "Look at me for example. I'm a Butterfree. My lifespan isn't exactly long in the wild, but in a trainer's hands? I'm gonna go down eventually."

"I mean, I guess," Groot said. "But can we still just drop it?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it, kiddo," Jackie said, leaning over to scratch his head. "We're a tough bunch."

"Well, yeah, I wouldn't have let myself get caught if I didn't think you guys had what it took to make it to the top," Star-Lord said. "Besides the Butterfree."

"Yeah, well, when I do inevitably die, you'll be the first one I haunt, asshole," Lucina snapped at the Charmeleon, who grinned at the remark.

* * *

"Just a few broken ribs," the local Nurse Joy was saying. "And some bruises. He'll be cleared to go by tonight."

Red smiled at her in relief, but almost bowled her over when she finally opened the door to where Rocket was resting. He ignored her indignant shout and looked down to his Pikachu, who, besides wearing some wrappings around his chest looked relatively unharmed.

"Oh, thank Arceus you're okay," Red said, finally letting the air he had been holding in escape. "Dude, if you're hurt that badly, just surrender. I don't want you getting killed for my sake."

"Yeah, yeah, it was something I had to do for myself." Rocket suddenly grinned. "But how about that though, I won us a gym badge! You did get the gym badge, didn't you?"

"Oh, totally, yeah," Red said, showing it to him. "It's just, well, uh…."

"Oh shit, did I kill the Starmie?" Rocket asked, slapping himself in the face. "Dammit, I knew it looked bad."

"No, Shuriken is alive," Red said. "You did a number on her, but Joy here told me she's recovering nicely. You Pokemon sure heal fast."

"Yeah, well that's a relief," Rocket said. He allowed his head to fall back to his pillow.

"It is?"

"Pardon?" Rocket said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I keep hearing that Pokemon kind of just...hurt each other," Red said. "Sometimes really badly. Joy told me most of you kind of get used to killing Pokemon, and death is just sort of...an inevitability you're prepared for."

Rocket seemed to think for a moment. "Well, you definitely have a point. But uh ...I've never really been a fighter. I feel that same rush and surge of strength that other Pokemon do when we battle. But, y'know, I could give or take it. The only reason I let myself get so into it is because of you, Red."

"Oh," Red said. "So, I mean, have you ever…"

"Killed a Pokemon?" Rocket looked sickened by the thought. "No. At least not on purpose. I mean, there's the low-level wilds..."

"No one counts the low-level wilds," Red said.

"So, then, yeah," Rocket said. "And, I don't I don't want to at all if I can help it. I understand it's a sort of inevitability, but…"

"Well, why does it have to be an inevitability?" Red asked. "I know Pokemon are prone to violence, but I know that us humans go out of their way to ensure that battling is as safe as possible. In fact, I want to make a promise. I'm not going to let any of you die, and we're not going to kill any Pokemon either."

"Red, there's no way you can keep that promise," Rocket said. "If you want to be a great trainer—"

"We haven't lost anyone so far!" Red protested. "And we haven't killed anyone either. If we make sure to keep it that way—"

"But there's so much you're not accounting for! Status conditions, critical hits, level gaps—"

"Well yeah, but—"

"Not to mention we're getting caught it into a whole conflict with a clone who nearly blew Kanto and Johto to kingdom come!" Rocket said. "Look, I don't want to think about it either, but—"

"Rocket, if I got paid every time someone told me I couldn't accomplish something, I'd be able to afford a bicycle," Red said. "Just humor me on this."

"Look, whatever helps you sleep at night," Rocket said. "It's just not something I can have faith in."

An uncomfortable silence passed, as Red sat down on the side of his bed. Nurse Joy, who had been standing in the doorway, cleared her voice awkwardly.

"So, should I forget I heard any of that, or—"

"What the hell are you still doing here?" Red snapped.

"Holy shit, get out!" Rocket shouted.

Muttering a quick apology, she closed the door behind her.

"Look, I'm sorry if I sound like an ass, but death scares me a little bit," Rocket said, sitting up with a wince. "The thought of it, er, well I just don't want to let my guard down."

"Well, it scares most of us humans," Red said. "Jumping into the unknown, not knowing if you fulfilled what you were supposed to. Accepting potentially nothingness."

"Ha, well, I always did think I was a human trapped in a Pikachu's body," Rocket said. "Maybe my eternal punishment is being trapped in a cute little furry rodent to mock my fear of my own mortality."

"Hey, don't flatter yourself, Rocket," Red chuckled, giving him a playful nudge. "You're not all that cute."

He stood up. "I'll check on you in a few hours, so get some sleep in the meantime."

Rocket snorted as Red turned to leave. "You're going out to tell the rest of your team about the promise, right? About how we'll make it to the top without any death?"

Red flashed back a bashful grin. "Maybe? You can't stop me!" He swung open the door and charged out of the room.

Rolling his eyes, Rocket smiled. "So damn predictable, that kid. Hey! Close the damn door, I actually want to get some sleep around here!"

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	27. Preordained

"And then Jackie actually managed to lift the Onix's tail!" Yellow chirped, her eyes shining from the memory. She had run into Rocket parents in her little stroll through Viridian Forest, and once they had caught up, she had wowed them in recounting Red's match against Brock.

"Oh, wow, with those skinny arms?" Rocket's mother said. "I was worried little Jackie wasn't eating enough."

"But our son didn't battle at all?" Rocket's father said, disappointed. Her had been repeating that question since Yellow had started her story.

"Er, no, Ling, he wasn't. Honestly, I don't think he could've done any damage to the ground types anyway," Yellow said. "And um, I can try to pick up some groceries for them on the way, Charlotte?"

Pokemon weren't as fond of nicknames as humans were, but they tolerated the names Yellow had given them in order to keep track. In truth, though Yellow had never met Rocket before he left on his journey, his parents had helped her survive and learn to find food when she was growing up in the woods. It had been a nice coincidence that their son had become Red's partner Pokemon.

"Well, yeah," Ling said, looking disgruntled. "But I don't want my son risking himself on a journey where there's no glory to be had!"

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I think the next gym uses water type Pokemon," Yellow said. "I'm sure Red will use Rocket for that battle."

"Oh," Ling said, quieting down. "All right, then."

"He's going to be fighting in gym matches?" Charlotte protested. "He's going to get himself hurt!"

"Okay, you guys are being impossible," Yellow said. "Don't worry, Red will keep him safe. He's goofy, but he knows what he's doing."

Her words seemed to comfort them, but it didn't stop Rocket's parents from unloading snacks for Rocket in her pack. Now appeased, and with her backpack twice as heavy as before, Yellow waved goodbye and jumped off the tall tree they had been conversing. Letting out a thrilled yell, she swung from branch to branch, finally hitting the soft Viridian grass in a roll.

Hopping back up to her feet, she whistled a jaunty little tune as she skipped her way through Viridian Forest. There was a lot she liked about living in a human settlement, but nothing beat the outdoors.

As always, the Pokemon she passed were quick to greet her with friendly smiles, a far cry from how they treated most humans. Everyone knew Yellow, hell, the whole forest had practically raised her; she liked to consider herself a daughter of the forest itself.

So, when something did attack her, something new, Yellow came to a quick understanding that it was alien to Viridian.

There was rustling in a grove, and a monstrous bird was upon her before she could even comprehend what it looked like, beyond the fact that it had two heads. They struck out in swift jabs, as Yellow ducked and danced back the way the Pikachus had taught her to dodge. It jumped out at her, and Yellow rolled to the side and took off running in the other direction, twin squawks of annoyance ringing out behind her.

Chancing a glance to look, she saw it was a Doduo, sprinting after her on its long skinny legs. Both its heads swiveled unnaturally around to thrust out at her again. She dodged two of their sweeping strikes, but a third managed to snap her backpack off her shoulder. She knew she wasn't going to be able to dodge them forever, but she had closed the distance to the birch she had been charging for. Throwing her backpack at their heads as a distraction, she scaled the tree like a monkey.

Her notion that the Doduo would not be able to follow her were undercut by a sharp pain in her shoulder, a beak managing to pierce her skin. She turned to see that the Doduo was somehow flying adjacent to her, somehow by using its feet to flutter. Its other head aimed a killing blow, but Yellow managed to catch it by the neck, keeping her legs wrapped around the tree's trunk.

The Doduo dropped, latching it's talons onto the bark as it pushed Yellow against the tree, and she twisted to dodge desperately as its free head jabbed for any bit of exposed flesh. With a cry of defiance, she kicked off the bark and threw herself at the Doduo, knocking them both down to the ground below.

The Doduo's furry body broke Yellow's fall, but a grueling crack told her that the bird had not escaped unscathed. Indeed, when she rolled free, she saw that both heads were twisted to stare at a limp, broken leg.

"Oh, yeesh, sorry about that," Yellow said, stepping over. Both heads swiveled to glare at her but drooped after Yellow offered her hands in surrender. Crouching over them, she placed a head on the fluffy body. She closed her eyes and let the hidden strength she held within her wash over the Doduo. Grime and scrapes were washed away immediately, and with a popping noise the Doduo's leg was back in place, good as new.

She had expected the Doduo to attack her as soon as it was healed, but it instead used its newly repaired leg to give a deep bow. "Our dearest apologies," the head on the left said. "We didn't know you were the great Amarillo Del Bosque Verde."

"Oh, wow, no one's used that name in a while!" Yellow said, giving the Doduo her best disarming smile. "Most people just call me Yellow."

"Oh. Er, well, anyway, Great Yellow, we are in your debt," the other head said. "If there's anything we can do to apologize-"

"Well, if you could, please stop going after humans that cross here," Yellow said. "Not everyone who passes through will be a Pokemon trainer. You could really hurt someone with that powers of yours."

"Yes, yes, of course!" both Doduo heads said, bowing even lower. "We'll never battle again, we promise!"

"Actually, I wanted to ask, why come to Viridian?" Yellow asked. "I'm assuming you're not from around here?"

"Oh, we're from Route 16, actually," Left said. "We decided to migrate because there just isn't enough food for us anymore. Men from Celadon captured great numbers of us in large groups, leaving our homes rather desolate. We heard Viridian Forest is one of the few havens left for Pokemon like us."

"Er, hello, Yellow, I couldn't help but overhear."

Yellow turned, and her face broke out into a grin. "Henry! It's been a long time."

He was a powerful looking Pinsir, but he had the countenance of a much meeker Pokemon. "Truth is, a lot of Pokemon have been seeking refuge in our forest, a bit too many if you ask me."

Yellow nodded. She had noticed a few more Pokemon than usual; in fact, now she couldn't look at the trees without seeing flying types staring at her from their nests, nor could she walk a few feet without risking treading on a bug type crawling across the grass. She hadn't really appreciated before how that might be a problem.

"You know, some friends of mine recently came to blows with some of the people that might be capturing such massive counts of Pokemon," Yellow said, thinking back on how Blue and Red had described them. "Did they wear black outfits with 'R's on the center?"

"Well, we don't know what an R is," the Doduo's right head said. "But they definitely wore black and red."

"Well, I'm on a bit of a mission," Yellow said. "Maybe part of it can be bringing all the Pokemon back to their respective routes, help you refugees live safely in your home routes again."

Pokemon had begun to listen, hopping down from their homes in the trees, leaving their berry bushes, scurrying over to where Yellow was speaking. They swarmed around her in a circle, giving her and the Doduo a respectable amount of distance. In the front were the tiny bug types, sitting atop the bigger Nidorans and Parasects, and in the back stood the more taciturn loners, the Scythers.

The birds, Spearows and Pidgeys flew overhead, finding branches close to where they could see Yellow, and even the elusive Pikachus emerged from their homes, led by Ling and Charlotte. New Pokemon were there as well, clearly not originally indiginous to the forest, some of which Yellow didn't even recognize from Professor Oak's classes.

They all stared at her, and Yellow couldn't help but blush a little and hide her face.

"Can you really do that?" a little Pichu asked, scampering up to her foot. "I haven't had enough to eat in ages."

Yellow scooped the Pichu in her arms; the poor thing was deathly skinny. She could feel her tiny little heartbeat. "Why not come with me little one? I'll take good care of you and fill your belly. As for everyone else!"

She sucked in her breath, not used to talking with so much clarity or projection. When Red spoke, people listened, even if it was just goofy bluster. She spoke out deep from her diaphragm, trying to copy his easy confidence as best she could. "Er, to everyone else, I promise to do my best. You raised me as a little girl, taught me how to fend for myself, and I owe this forest because of that. To give back to my home, I'm going to do my best to save all of yours!"

The Pokemon broke out into cheering, even the aloof Scythers were scraping their blades together appreciatively. The Pichu climbed up to Yellow's shoulder and gave her ear an affectionate lick.

"Sweet Yellow, if your cause is to restore our homeland, you must allow us to serve you!" the Doduo's twin heads said, still rising from their low bow. "We can get you to your destination as quick as the rising sun! Allow us to be your Pokemon!"

"Oh, well, I mean, I'm not carrying Pokeballs with me," Yellow said. "But if you'll walk alongside me-oop!"

The Doduo lifted her with their beaks and set her on their furry body. "Would you give us names? We felt a little left out."

"I was actually wondering about that," Yellow said, scooping up her torn bag as the Doduo broke off into a trot. "You two speak in tandem a lot. Do you share a brain or are you separate beings?"

"Well, that's a bit odd of an odd question. Our brains are mostly identical, and we share thoughts telepathically, but though we often act as a collective we prefer to be recognized as individuals."

"Cool!" Yellow said, reaching out to stroke their fluffy heads. "I'll call you Edward, and you Alphonse!"

The Doduo, seemingly inspired with their new names began their sprint, startling the Pichu and causing her to fearfully cling to Yellow's shirt, and soon the crowd of Pokemon grew smaller. Their cheer, a cheer that rang out through the entire forest, stayed with her.

"Praise Amarillo Del Bosque Verde! Cheers for the savior of Viridian Forest!"

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	28. i got nothing guys, no chapter title

"I forgot that it was a human custom to bury the dead. Seems a dreadful waste of nutrients."

Pewter's Cemetery was probably the second most depressing spot in the city aside from the museum; the gravestones were small, shabby, and covered with dust, and no one seemed very eager to visit there. Despite having the freshest dirt around it, Miguel's sad little grave had not been decorated with flowers or candles. Only two men stood by it, and neither, Yellow could tell just from their expressions, had ever really known him all that well.

"Be quiet," she murmured to Edward, who had made the crass statement. "It's quiet so they'll be more likely to hear you."

Privately, she agreed with the Doduo. She had been taught as a little girl that death for the individual meant giving back to the world, and that there was no better gift than a decomposing corpse. Of course, Oak and the people she grew up with weren't as keen on the idea, and she dropped the philosophy quickly while she was around them. Funnily enough, Red, being a big Lion King fan, was surprisingly open-minded about it.

One of the men standing by Miguel's grave, with cropped green hair and a brutal looking face, flicked his cigarette away and muttered something about "friends in his line of work never lasting long." He stalked away, past Yellow and her Pokemon, his dutiful Slowbro slogging behind him.

"Ikue," Yellow whispered, and the Pichu popped her head out from Yellow's backpack, crumbs still on her face. "I want you to follow that man; I think he might've been associated with Miguel. Just make sure he doesn't catch sight of you."

She had to explain this a couple times, as the Pichu wasn't exactly the most attentive Pokemon. Soon though, Ikue had scrambled down Yellow's leg and taken after the man and his Slowbro, both almost out of view at this point.

"Er, with all due respect," Alphonse said. "Wouldn't it be better if I went after him?"

"She's smaller," Yellow said, shrugging. "Plus, I have you around for protection."

Leaving a now very flustered Doduo behind, Yellow approached the now lonesome man by the grave.

"Hi, Brock."

She hadn't really known the gym leader well, but those dark circles under his eyes certainly hadn't been there before. He turned to look at her in surprise, but realization dawned on him soon enough.

"Oh, you're Yellow, right?" he said. "Friend of Red's?"

"Yep, that's what it feels like I'm reduced to sometimes," Yellow giggled, shaking his hand. "I um...heard about what happened. With Mt. Moon."

"Uh, yeah," Brock said. "And it's probably obvious given where we are, but I'm still thinking about it."

He was dressed not in his usual get-up (pity that, Yellow thought,) but in a baggy orange shirt and rather worn out pants, cuffed and ripped. He stepped back a bit from the grave, leaning against the cemetery gate. "Why are you here? Did you know him?"

"Miguel? No, I've only heard of him," Yellow said. "According to Blue Oak, my friend Green knew him pretty well. Apparently, he wasn't so bad for a Rocket."

"No, I don't think he was," Brock said, nodding his head. "Everyone thinks I've been feeling guilty about, well, causing his death, and there's a little bit of that I guess, but there's more to it."

Yellow didn't speak, letting him continue.

"Miguel and I barely knew each other, but the war was as equally unkind to him as it was to me." Brock stared at the gravestone. "Whatever shook loose my father's sanity, it did so to his brother, tenfold. I thought it was merely PTSD, but now I hear about this clone…"

"So, you're wondering if you should be on the same side as Miguel was, considering your similarities?" Yellow asked.

"A little," Brock said. "More than anything I wish I could do something about this whole conflict, but I can't. I'm a gym leader, so that means protecting the territory, no matter how much I sympathize with certain motives."

"But more than that, don't you have little brothers and sisters to take care of?"

"Yeah," Brock said. "So, I'm stuck here. It's torture. I'm worried that if the region is razed to the ground, all that I'm ever remembered for is watching the world crumble around me without taking any action."

"Well, that's the difference between you and Miguel, isn't it? He didn't have anything to lose, no responsibilities, no intended role to play," Yellow said. "If you were the one that died, your gravestone wouldn't be abandoned, it would be surrounded by the people you were responsible for."

"I... I guess that's true," Brock admitted.

"Red, Blue, and I are on a mission," Yellow said. "We're going to save the region from the clone and Rocket. By holding down the fort, protecting our territory and your family, you're doing your part. Trust us to do ours."

Brock couldn't seem to help but smile. "Tough job for a bunch of kids. You have your work cut out for you."

"Yeah, well, we wouldn't be Kantonian if we couldn't bite off more than we can chew and spit it out again," Yellow said. "Anyway, it was nice meeting you again, Brock!"

"Hold on," Brock said, and Yellow froze with one leg swung over her Doduo's back.

"Honestly, I barely know you, but thanks for the pep talk." Brock said. "I was wondering, were you planning on heading to Cinnabar?"

Yellow fell off the Doduo. She hadn't gotten a migraine in so long that it caught her worse than when she was a little girl. As Edward and Alphonse squawked in concern, Yellow picked herself up off the ground.

"Uh, you gonna be okay?" Brock said, jogging over to help her up.

"I um, yeah, and I guess, well…" she cleared her throat. "Yes, I've decided that I'm going to stick aboard the SS Anne after the party Red and Blue invited me to and head up to Cinnabar."

"Excellent," Brock said, though he still eyed her suspiciously. "Anyway, as thanks for your little words of wisdom I wanted to give you a fossil we found on Miguel's person. Scientists over in Cinnabar will be able to restore it to life."

"Oh, of course," Yellow said, gingerly taking it from him. The fossil resembled a sort of shell that an ammonite would have. "I'll take good care of it."

Brock helped Yellow back on her trusty steed, after ensuring the helix fossil was tucked safely in her bag. "It makes me feel a lot better that new life is being born even with Miguel's death. At least something good is coming from the whole Mt. Moon fiasco."

* * *

Red's drooping head banged against the truck window, and he woke with a start. "Ow!"

Kenny gave a great snort of laughter. "Good morning, sunshine."

It took Red a moment to understand where he was. Mumbling a half-hearted retort, he rubbed at his eyes. The events of the last few hours flooded back. Once Rocket had healed up, Kenny had met them on the side of the road to offer Red a ride via truck from Route 5 to Vermilion City.

"How long was I asleep?" Red asked, twisting in his seat to check on Rocket, who was mauling a bottle of ketchup. Red realized with a shudder that he'd have to be the one to clean the Pikachu, who was basically covered in the red stuff.

"Not too long. It's actually good timing that you woke up now," Kenny said, gesturing for Red to roll down the window. "We're passing Saffron City now; it'll be a sight for a small-town kid like you."

Excitement wiping away his drowsiness, Red peered out at the tall, golden skyscrapers of Saffron. He had never been much for history or geography, but Kanto's metropolis was infamous for its size, populous, and role it served in the Indigo War. Indeed, the Indigo War's influence made itself in the massive walls surrounding and protecting the city; fraught with battle scars but still standing as strong as they did when the Johtians invaded.

"I was going to ask before; did you ever get to see Saffron during wartime?" Red asked. "I know you were stationed at Vermilion, but-"

"Ah, nah," Kenny said, chuckling self-deprecatingly. "Honestly, I wasn't in the war too long before I got injured. Most did see it by the war's end though, since victory hinged on whether Saffron fell or not. With how badly we were losing, and how many cities Johto had taken, it seemed like we were stalling. Then, well, we know now what happened."

"You were right about your psychic theory," Red said. "Only it was well-"

"Yeah," Kenny said, sucking in his breath. "One monster. That keeps me up at night."

He cleared his throat. "Well, let's not worry about that right now. I wanna take you up to Diglett's cave, meet Flint."

"Flint lives in a cave?"

"Well, he's a drifter now, but yeah," Kenny said. His hand tightened on the wheel. "It's the place he's most content. Besides, Lieutenant Surge uses electric types. Wouldn't be a bad idea to pick up a Diglett, get a nice type advantage."

"Good idea," Red said. "I wanted to get some training done anyway."

They sat in silence for a few moments as Red took one last look at Saffron.

"I'm going to check under the truck, Kenny. I have to!"

"Dammit, Red, Mew's not under there!"

* * *

Edward and Alphonse slowed from their sprint to a trot, finally allowing the dust clouds behind them to settle. Yellow slid off the Doduo's back and took a moment to stretch her cramped legs. There it was, the Route 2 entrance of Diglett's cave.

"Shall we enter, Yellow?" Alphonse asked. "We promise, we'll get you to Vermilion in no time at all!"

"It's getting a little late," Yellow said, setting down her bag.. "We'll camp out out for tonight, give Ikue a chance to catch up. Besides, you deserve a break after carrying me for so long. I'll teach you how to make s'mores!"

"Ooh, what's a s'more?" Edward asked curiously. "Uh, but more importantly, what if you're attacked by a Pokemon in the night?"

"That's what I have you for, Ed," Yellow said, scratching his fluffy head. "C'mon, help me start a fire."

After they had eaten, Yellow from little containers she had brought from Pallet, and a few wild Pokemon for Edward and Alphonse (Yellow assumed they were Rattata, but she didn't really want to think about it), they sat comfortably around the small campfire Yellow had set up, ensuring it was smokeless to keep away unwanted visitors.

"You guys kinda look like you want to ask me something," Yellow said thickly around a bite of s'more. "Go on, I don't bite."

The Doduo's earnest expression was a bit undercut by the marshmallow and chocolate around their beaks; they had taken quite a liking to s'mores. "Well, we couldn't help but wonder about the mission you mentioned. Even before you took on the task of restoring our homelands."

"Oh." The small flame flickered for a moment, the color of the fire shifting from merigold to violet. Yellow hugged her legs. "Um, I'm not allowed to say."

The Doduo heads exchanged a glance. The sight was so ridiculous Yellow had to giggle, and the fire seemed to grow stronger, returning to its battle of orange and yellow.

"So, you are...under orders?" Alphonse asked. "Did they come from a human, or a Pokemon?"

"Well, I guess, think of it this way," Yellow said. "People in Pallet Town always used to say I was more Pokemon than human, and that's true even beyond my upbringing. I was designed for a purpose. Life's been preparing me for what I have to do since I was found in Viridian Forest as an infant."

She gave him a sheepish sort of smile. "But I can't talk about it. Are you okay with that? Following me blindly?"

"We don't need to know your endgame to understand that you're worth following," Edward said. "Above all else, it is your goal to help those of us that are disenfranchised. That's enough for us."

Yellow smiled. "Well, I'm glad."

The fire was dying now, so she crawled over to lean against the Doduo for warmth. Edward and Alphonse watched as her breathing slowed, ensuring she was comfortable.

The two heads shared an understanding nod, remaining alert even as the last sparks of the campfire faded and the night was all consuming. Neither had any plan of sleeping; not while Yellow was out in the open.

* * *

This project is part of an extended universe with maycontestdrew's _The Iron Knight_ and Fuzzboy's _For Glory, For Honor, For Hoenn_. Both are awesome writers, so check them out! Together the three of us plan to tell a nuzlocke saga, though at this point at least you don't need to read their stories to understand mine. Till we meet again, reader!


	29. Eye of the Storm

For Groot, expertise was when one lost themselves in their work, the innate desire to improve replaced with a sense of cold repetition. Red had taught him to aim his attacks when the dirt around him began to ripple and crack, and after a few hours of slapping emerging Digletts with his vines, Groot had found that he had mastered the sport.

Of course, ensuring his super effective attacks were non-lethal kept him engaged; Red had told him against actually killing any of the Diglett he was fighting. Unfortunately, since the Digletts he knocked down lived to tell the tale and warn their brothers and sisters, fewer and fewer were willing to attack him, and soon he was driven deeper and deeper into the chambers of Diglett's Cave to find something he could fight.

Presently, the footsteps of something Groot couldn't detect with his eyes caused him to crouch in a fighting position, though he calmed a bit when he recognized them as a human's. Still, he did not recognize the young man stepping out into the light of the torches lined along the passageway, so he scampered over to greet him.

Upon getting closer, however, Groot hesitated, because the man's face wasn't exactly inviting, and his clothes didn't fit the simplistic color aesthetic that Groot had grown accustomed to. His jacket and jeans were beaten and worn out, but what immediately caught the eye was his unruly red hair that fell to his shoulders. Said shoulders seemed permanently tensed, the man seeming perpetually anxious.

When the man noticed him, he gave Groot a sort of wicked grin. "Hello there, little one. Come to greet me, have you?" His eyes held no emotion; Groot had seen more life in the Pokemon that he helped dig graves for. Yet there was a sense of a calm self-awareness there.

It was like staring directly into the eye of a storm.

Groot, not knowing whether it was appropriate or not to give a vocal response, made a little whimpering sound.

"Oh, shy are we, little one?" The man let out a low laugh, clearly taking amusement from the situation. "Well...You don't have to be. After all, I already know something about you, and all your friends."

He lowered himself down to meet its eyes, his grin wide. "I know you can talk. So please...Tell me where your trainer is."

"Oh, that makes this much easier!" Groot said, brightening up. "He'll be down another passageway, closer to the entrance. Just watch out, cuz he's in the middle of training with the rest of the team. Bit of a battle zone."

"Thank you, little one," he said lowly, before asking, "Can you lead me to him?"

"Yuppie!" Groot said, already turning to waddle down the way he had come. A single Diglett popped out of the dirt, but without even looking, he slapped it unconscious with a vine. "C'mon, we're burning daylight!"

* * *

It wasn't fun to be a Diglett, least of all now.

The luckiest were the ones plucked from the earth and forced to the surface by Lucina's psychic powers; the affiliation instantly knocking out some and leaving them as easy targets for Jackie's strikes as they writhed in pain. The fates of the aggressive Diglett were far worse, as they had to battle Star-Lord the Charmeleon.

Those that managed to escape the well aimed jets of fire that charred many of the little ground types found themselves at the mercy of the Charmeleon's powerful claws. Star-Lord was fast and powerful enough to take several out with a single slash, and smart enough to calculate where each would attack from. The unconscious pile of beaten Diglett around his feet was higher than those of the rest of the team put together.

"Pretty good work, Red," Kenny said, jotting down notes on a clipboard with a pencil. "Jackie still needs a bit more of an awareness over her surroundings—"

Indeed, at the moment the Mankey was ignoring most of the battle, intent on digging into the dirt to chase after a fleeing Diglett, her eyes red with rage. The massive opening she left would have caused her to take damage from a pair of Diglett who lunged from behind, if Lucina hadn't teleported in front of them and blasted them away with a confusion attack.

"—So, make sure to train her mind as well as her fists," Kenny finished. "Lucina's looking good, but keep in mind that it'll be tougher and tougher for Pokemon of her species as your opponents use more evolved Pokemon. Don't throw her into a battle she can't win. And Groo—"

He glanced around. "Where's Groot?"

"Oh, he's just off wandering him by himself, probably," Red said, shrugging. "He's a bit behind the rest of the teams in terms of levels, so I let him forge ahead."

"Well, I hope he knows how to find his way back," Kenny said. "Diglett are small fry, but the Dugtrio around here might be too much for you to defeat alone."

"He'll be fine," Red said, waving away the hiker's concerns. "I expressly forbid him from crossing over to the parts that aren't well lit."

"If you say so, champ," Kenny said, patting Red on the shoulder that wasn't hosting Rocket. "If you're good over here, I'm gonna go meet Flint; he was pacing outside the cave."

"Yeah, man!" Red said, without really paying attention. "Star-Lord, create a barrier of flames so the Diglett can't escape!"

He lost track of both time and the amount of Diglett they had beaten, and when Groot bounded into their cavern, a man stepping in line behind him, it was like waking out of a coma.

"Hey, can I help you?" Red said, kneeling down to stroke Groot's chin.

However, the man didn't respond, instead staring silently at the boy, as if analyzing every movement to paint a clear picture in his mind.

"Out of curiosity," he eventually said, "I'm guessing you began your journey recently, yes?"

"'Bout a month now," Red said. "Got two badges, though. What about you? You don't seem very Kanto to me."

"I'm not from this wretched region. Honestly wouldn't even step foot here if I didn't have to," he curtly explained, walking forward while looking at the boy over. "Though I must admit, I am starting to reconsider my business at the moment."

"Hey, Rocket, I think he's hitting on me, what do I do?" Red whispered to his Pikachu.

"Tell him you like his hair," Rocket whispered back.

"Hey, man, you have really pretty hair!" Red said, with his best winning smile.

However, the man was less than impressed by what he was seeing. "Young. Inexperienced. Irresponsible. Immature. Idiotic. Lots of words starting with 'i', that's for sure," he mumbled out.

"Is this part of the flirting process?" Red asked. "I kind of feel used. Do you want me to do the same to you?"

The rest of Red's team, sans Star-Lord, who had run off to fight more Diglett, gathered around the two, as the man gave him a strange look, "...You get I'm probably ten-years older than you right? I'm not flirting with—"

"Anyway, would you happen to be a trainer as well?" Red said. "I'm assuming so, since the Diglett probably would've gotten you if you didn't have a way to defend yourself."

"I haven't really had to use mine just yet. Most of the little ones know their place," he spat out. Red's confusion seemed to be growing angrier by the moment.

"You can keep them back by sheer force of will?" Red said, amazed. "Dude, teach me how to do that."

"It's not something you can learn. It's a matter of respect," he explained. "Once they respect you, they won't bother you unless you bother them. Simple as that."

"But like, what do you do?" Red asked. "Give them a stern talking to? That's what Yellow does."

"Who the Hell is Yellow—"

"Little homeless girl we found in the woods ten years ago."

The man gave a blank look in response. "Well, that's depressing." Shaking his head, he continued with, "Look, we're getting off-track—"

"Yeah, she's actually on her way right now if you want to meet her!" Red said "Also is your hair like, dyed, or were you born with it?"

"Stop interrupting me!" He seethed out, rubbing the sides of his head, "God, are you always this obnoxious?! It's like I'm speaking to a ten-year old."

"Aww, you're making me nostalgic, that's what Blue always used to say," Red said. "Sorry, I get a little overexcited with new people."

The man by this point very worn from the conversation, let out a groan, "You know what...I clearly made a mistake. I will be on my way now."

"Wait, mistake? What mistake?" Red said. "C'moooon."

However, the man ignored him, walking away with a disappointed look on his face, any previous color having disappeared from sight.

"Hey, man, if you're gonna write me off so easily, at least give me a chance to prove you wrong!" Red called after him. "C'mon, big guy. Let's battle."

He came to a stop at this, turning back to Red with an annoyed look. "...Fine. Prove me wrong. I guess I do have time after all. In fact...I'll make this a bit more interesting."

"Interesting, how?" Red asked, as Rocket hopped off his shoulder, landing in front of his trainer in a crouch.

Color slowly began to return to the man's face, as he turned back to the boy. "I can only use one Pokemon. If they faint, I lose automatically. Simple as that, really."

"Cool, then I'll battle with my eyes closed!" Red said, covering said eyes with his hands.

"Please don't do that—"

"Out with it, you coward!"

Rolling his eyes at this, the man nonetheless did what he said, quickly releasing his Pokemon.

The Ditto was only a purple, gelatinous blob for a moment, shifting its shape to resemble Rocket, who let out a yelp of surprise upon seeing his mirror image.

"Is that a Nurse Joy I hear?" Red asked.

"Oh, god, am I really that fat?" Rocket moaned.

"Bucciarati," the man called out, "You know what to do. Just make it quick." The false Pikachu let out a grim laugh at this, folding his arms as a smug look appeared on his face.

"I didn't catch your name, by the way," Red said. "Tell me before we start?"

"Orion," he simply said, his smirk from before having returned. "You'll probably want to remember that name."

"Well, I'm no one to judge weird names," Red said. "Let's do this, Rocket! Thundershock!"

Grinning, Rocket let loose a blast of lighting from his cheeks, landing a clean hit on the Ditto, who didn't even bother to dodge. Bucciarati merely grinned back at Rocket, ignoring the electricity running down his body.

"Your Pikachu's ability is lightning rod, I assume?" Orion asked, letting out a little mock yawn.

"Ah, shit, Ditto copies abilities too?" Red asked, hands still covering his face. "Rocket, watch out. That means he's going to be a lot—"

Bucciarati vanished and reappeared, driving his fist into Rocket's stomach. The Pikachu gurgled in pain as he keeled over.

"—Faster."

Clutching his now bruised stomach, Rocket hissed and swung his tail at the Ditto, who flipped out of his range with ease. Bucciarati's feet only touched the cave floor a moment before he launched himself at Rocket again, bowling him over with ease.

The difference in speed and power wasn't even close; it was all Rocket could do to protect his face with his paws as Bucciarati rained his blows on whatever bit of flesh was exposed. Rocket tried again to swing his tail in some token attempt for offense, but his mirror slapped it aside and slammed his foot down on Rocket's stomach. With a squeak, the Pikachu rolled on his side.

Bucciarati sauntered towards his fallen opponent, intent on savoring his victory. He nudged Rocket with his tail to see if he'd rise.

Rocket, evidently faking defeat, lunged. "Born to be alive, bitch!"

Unfortunately, Bucciarati anticipated the move, and clocked Rocket in the nose the moment he went up, effectively breaking it.

"Dammit! Stupid one-hit wonder," Rocket said, rubbing his wounded nose. Bucciarati kicked him down again.

"...Are you winning, Rocket?" Red asked.

"No!" Rocket screamed. "Tag me out! Tag me out!"

"Okay, Lucina!" Red said. "Tag in!"

The Butterfree flew forward, only to be met by a jolt of lightning that blasted her against the cave wall.

"...Groot, tag in!"

"Um, I'm good, thanks," Groot said, having watched the massacre with an expression of pure horror.

"Don't worry, buddy," Jackie said, patting the Ivysaur on the head as she stepped past him and giggling at her pun. "Let old Jackie handle this one."

"Ready for a challenge?" she said, cracking her knuckles and stepping into a defensive pose. "You're tough, but I'll be tougher to defeat than my friends."

Bucciarati responded by shooting a bolt of lightning at her. Jackie yelped and dove to avoid it.

The Mankey couldn't even get close; she was too busy narrowly avoiding thundershocks.

"How long have you been training these damn things?" Orion mocked, his smirk having expanded into a grin. "They fight like children!"

"Red, I could use some orders!" Jackie cried, somehow managing a perfect split over an arc of lightning. "The status quo isn't very fun!"

"Close the distance!" Red said, having finally abandoned his attempt at keeping his eyes closed. "Pikachus aren't as suited as you are for hand to hand!"

Jackie nodded, sprinting towards Bucciarati, conscious of his next attack. When he sent out his next thundershock, Jackie slid under the blast to avoid losing momentum, and it flew past Red's hand, cracking the cave wall.

Jackie pulled out of his slide into a roll, springing up at Bucciarati, who ducked under her first kick. She ducked as well, under his swinging tail, but when she aimed a karate chop, Bucciarati caught her hand.

"Got you," Orion said, rolling his head back.

Jackie shrieked as Bucciarati tightened his grip and released powerful torrents of electricity into her body, and the Monkey writhed in pain.

"Groot, now! Sleep powder!" Red snapped, and Groot balanced on his front legs, aiming his bulb at the pair. From it he shot a single seed, directly for the transformed Ditto.

Bucciarati, anticipating the move, tensed to avoid it, but Jackie wrapped her arms around him in a bear hug. Her eyebrows were upturned to imply a victorious grin.

Bucciarati slapped her away with his tail, but it was too late. The seed exploded in front of his face, emitting smoke that caused him to fall on his face, fast asleep.

"Now, vine whip!" Red ordered.

Landing back on our fours, Groot casted out a myriad of vines, wrapping themselves tightly around his sleeping opponent.

"I know you think I'm an idiot, Orion, but even I knew that the difference between our Pokemon's levels was too great for me to ever try to beat you conventionally." Red nodded at Groot, and the Ivysaur sent out more vines. Soon, only Bucciarati's head was visible; the rest entangled in green.

"But you only used one Pokemon, that Pokemon was a Ditto," Red said. "A Pokemon, when vulnerable, is essentially useless."

Bucciarati, now awake, released electrical blasts, but Groot, while hissing in pain, was able to resist the ineffective attack. In response, he lifted the Ditto and slammed him on the floor, eliciting a shriek of pain.

"He's trapped, and squeezed too tight to consider transforming," Red explained. Indeed, Bucciarati was now pink in places, his face no longer a Pikachu's but the dopey expression of a Ditto's. Yet he was trapped, unable to shift his body back to his original shape, or something powerful enough to break the vines.

Wordlessly, Orion dug into his pocket and slipped out a photo that he lifted for his Ditto to see. Red strained to look. It was ...a tiny, fluffy bug type?

Bucciarati grinned, and he began to shrink.

"Shit!" Red snapped. "Groot, don't let him-"

"Bug buzz," Orion said, his one and only order the entire match. Bucciarati, now a tiny Joltik, let out a shriek, emitting pulsing energy that blasted Groot off his feet. The Ivysaur whimpered, struggling to rise.

"Don't bother, Groot," Red said, stroking his head. "He got us good."

Letting out a sigh, he recalled each of his Pokemon to their respective balls. "Well, that's all I had, considering my Charmeleon screwed off somewhere. You're really something."

He smiled, holding out his hand for Orion to shake. The man stared at the hand for a few moments, though reluctantly took it.

"You need to work on your strategy," he said, before pulling back, "you have the capability of being a great trainer, but will never become one unless you learn how to best use your Pokemon."

As he said this, Bucciarati, now back to being a Ditto, slowly slid up onto his shoulder, allowing Orion to scratch the top of his blobby head. "Take for instance Bucciarati. He doesn't really like following orders, so instead I taught him how to handle himself and not rely on me." Chuckling, he turned to Red with another creepy, though oddly sincere grin. "Work with their personality, and the results will be so much more...Grand."

"So, get to know how my boys work, personality wise?" Red nodded. "I could do that."

As he scooped up Rocket, who was still moaning in pain, he gave Orion another curious glance. "I gotta know man, who are you? You're way too skilled and knowledgeable to be a simple traveler."

"Don't think too hard about who I am," he simply said with a shrug, before turning around and beginning to walk away. "Doesn't matter. But just know kid, you better get stronger. Otherwise this whole fight would have been for nothing."

"You make sure to get stronger too, y'hear?" Red shouted after him. "Or else our next match won't be nearly as fun!"

As Orion disappeared into the darkness of the tunnels once more, Red set to work in spraying Rocket with a healing potion. The Pikachu hissed at the stinging sensation.

"You know, I noticed that every time you had some crackshot strategy up your sleeve, it ends with me getting my ass kicked," Rocket grumbled as Red stepped foot out of the cave. "The hell is up with that?"

"C'mon, Rocket, let's get everyone healed up so we can get to new training methods!" Red said, marching down the grassy hill down to the direction of Vermilion City. "That battle pumped me up!"

"Don't you fucking ignore me you little shit."

* * *

Want to give credit for my man Fuzzboy for helping write this chapter. His character Orion will be prevalent in pretty much every story in our little Nuzlocke universe, so keeps your eyes peeled for him. Fuzz has his own Nuzlocke planned so watch out for that as well. He's an awesome writer, so I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Until next chapter, folks!


	30. Stubborn as He Is

If Ikue had been any slower, she'd probably be dead.

As a little girl, she'd heard stories about Victory Road. The inhabitants weren't just more aggressive than the average wild Pokemon, they were far more powerful as well. Since excellent trainers needed to cross the tunnels to reach Indigo Plateau, the constant battles had hardened the wilds that were forced into combat. Anyone not well prepared would be killed almost instantly by the Marowaks and Machokes prowling around.

Fortunately, the man Ikue was tailing, Proton, as he had called himself, was well prepared.

Proton sauntered around the cavern floors like he owned it, and when an Onix or Golbat lunged at him, his Slowbro wiped them out before they could close half the distance.

At some point, Ikue had stopped trying to tail them and settled behind a big rock to watch the show. The Slowbro was using his psychic powers to manipulate the water around them into a funnel, repelling any Pokemon came close. Occasionally he'd raise a hand and the funnel would part, a psychic blast throwing his unlucky victim into the cavern wall.

Slowbros weren't fast, aggressive, Pokemon, and so the Slowbro was not urgent. He was calm and tactical, his eyes flashing constantly between each of the Pokemon that were slowly circling around his funnel. Ikue had never seen a Slowbro's eyes so focused.

Proton, who was just as calm and stationary as his Pokemon, took the cigarette out of his mouth. "I'd say they're bunched up enough, Sebastian. You can drop the water."

The Slowking nodded, and the water splashed against the crazed floor. The wild Pokemon; the Primeapes, and the Rhydons, and the Arboks, exchanged quick, confused glances, as though they could not understand their luck. After a moment they lunged…

Just as Proton released the rest of his team from their Pokeballs.

A Rhydon grunted as a Golem slammed into its stomach, and a Kabutops managed to dispatch two Arboks with a single swipe. Proton's Pokemon quickly fell into what was clearly a rehearsed practice, forming a circle around Proton and striking at any Pokemon foolish enough to come close.

Each member of Proton's team knew each other enough to coordinate their attacks, whether it was his Hypno using his psychic powers to throw Golem like a bowling ball, or his Scizor tossing wild Pokemon into Kabutops' line of fire. All the while Sebastian the Slowking stood back, occasionally silencing any of the few Pokemon that managed to find an opening in their defensive circle.

Being born and raised in Viridian Forest, Ikue was used to trainers passing by. What she hadn't realized was exactly how powerful a trainer could raise a Pokemon to be.

A smart Pokemon would turn tail and flee. Instead, Ikue darted towards the battlefield, using the chaos to close in on Proton without him noticing her.

The Pichu was so small and light that Proton's Golem didn't even notice when she used his rocky body as a springboard. Proton himself, however, did notice, when she blasted him with a thunder wave at point blank range.

Proton convulsed, and Ikue flew into his coat pocket. No one was blowing her to bits, so she was right in assuming by being on his person they wouldn't dare try and attack her, for fear of hurting their trainer. What she wasn't expecting as her nose touched his wallet was the scraping of a knife.

She rolled and the knife missed, tearing deep into the jacket, and Ikue was exposed for all to see. Proton finally managed to succeed in grabbing and throwing her out of his pocket, but not before Ikue managed to close her teeth around the wallet and taste leather.

Dazed for less than a moment, Ikue scrambled to her feet and sprinted away, the wallet clamped in her jaws. She heard Proton shout something behind her and felt the heat of a few special attacks that narrowly missed, but grinning, she managed to crawl her way through a crevice between jagged rocks and disappear from Proton's line of sight.

Crawling slowly and quietly through the little tunnel the crevice had led to, she closed her eyes and listened for the sound of Proton's footsteps. She had no doubt if he discovered her that a few rocks and some dirt wouldn't be enough to protect her, so she tensed, ready to sprint if necessary.

His footsteps grew faint, and Ikue allowed herself to relax, collapsing on the ground.

When she slapped open the wallet, she smiled. There it was.

* * *

"Wow, this guy's been at it for a while," Yellow said, squinting to ensure she was reading the trainer card correctly. Ikue's flash was enough to illuminate the dark tunnels of Diglett's cave, but the tiny print was still difficult to make out. "Since before the Indigo War, even."

"He was really tough, too, clobbering up Victory Road like that," Ikue said, at peace now that she was safe in Yellow's arms. "Not tough enough to avoid being pickpocketed, but I'm just that cool I guess."

"I was going to ask," Edward said, swiveling his head to look at the girl sitting on his back. "Stealing from someone as obviously as competent as he is no mean feat. You're a low level, baby Pokemon from Viridian Forest. How could you possibly have survived such an ordeal?"

"Well, I got some really good training in!" Ikue said. "A few weeks ago there was this kid in a red hat who spent a lot of time in the forest. He was really fun to steal from because he kept accusing his Pikachu of eating his food."

Yellow let out a nervous little giggle at that. "Anyway, now that we've um, appropriated this trainer card, there's this psychic I know that can turn this into a really convincing fake id, so I can get easy access to potions and room and board at the Pokemon Center."

"That seems remarkably underhanded for a human," Alphonse noted.

"Hey, Pokemon rules, man," Yellow said with a wink. "Stealing's cool if you can get away with it."

The tunnels of Diglett's cave were a maze, and one could find themselves easily lost in the pitch black, but after feeding a few Diglett some leftover marshmallows they were eager to guide her to the exit near Vermilion City, cutting their travel time significantly.

The presence of another light at the end of a far-off tunnel prompted Yellow to urge her Doduo towards it. Ed and Al hesitated and exchanged a glance, however, when they realized they were walking into the middle of an intense battle.

The source of the light, a powerful looking Chameleon, was snarling and spitting flames at the earth, but whatever he was aiming at seemed too quick for him. The ground cracked, the Doduo stumbled, and Yellow fell off his back, hitting the ground with a yelp.

A Dugtrio emerged, and six sets of eyes focused on the fallen human. Cursing to herself, Yellow scrambled to her feet, but the Dugtrio let out a roar and the very floor split, the earth under the Dugtrio and Yellow's feet crumbling and falling.

"Crap, crap, crap!" Yellow shrieked and made a mad jump to safety. Though she missed, Alphonse managed to snip at her sleeve, leaving her dangling over the Dugtrio's fissure. She risked taking a look behind her. The Dugtrio was burrowing even deeper, and she was convinced at this point that the drop would be enough to kill her.

Behind them, the Charmeleon grunted and launched a ball of fire into the fissure, which manifested into a burning vortex that swept around the Dugtrio, who yelped in pain and stopped digging, which was the all well and good, but the flames shot high, licking at Yellow's frantically shaking feet.

"Oh, wonderful," Yellow said, clinging to Alphonse and Edward's beaks for dear life. "Not only do I get to fall to my death, I get to suffer third from degree burns the whole way down."

"Humans are whiny," the Charmeleon growled, before diving into the Dugtrio's makeshift gorge. With a grunt of effort, Yellow swung forward, kicking off the cliff face to gain momentum while letting go of her Doduo's beaks and flipped over to the other side of the chasm.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, she turned to Ikue, who was clinging to her shirt and shivering. "Er, sorry about that. You doing okay, Ikue?"

"Y-yeah," the little Pichu said. "I think the fear might've shortened my lifespan, but I'm okay."

A second later, Edward and Alphonse landed in a slide next to them, expressions of equal relief on their faces that Yellow was okay.

"Wow, you stuck that landing well!" Yellow said, patting Edward's head. "Let's go see how the fight's going, yeah?"

As it turned out, pretty well. When the Dugtrio was trapped by the Charmeleon's fire spin, it left him with very little in terms of defense, and by the time Yellow peered over, the Charmeleon's claws were tearing into his skin, blood splattering onto the fire type's body. Feeling a little sick, Yellow turned away.

She had grown used to seeing Pokemon killing one another, but that didn't make the sight any more pleasant.

* * *

When, a few minutes later, Star-Lord climbed up the chasm and rolled over to where the fight had begun, he was met with a girl with a towel. He considered torching her, but blood was a tough stain when it dried, and Red wouldn't be pleased to learn that he had killed the Dugtrio.

"Oh," he said, upon taking a closer look at the girl. "You're the one the boss won't shut up about. Yellow, is it?"

"Oh, are you Star-Lord?" Yellow asked. "And wow, Red talks about me?"

Star-Lord snorted at the look of delight on her face. "Yeah, yeah. It gets annoying. Look, would you mind not telling him about the whole-killing Dugtrio thing? Or make it at least sound like I heroically saved you or something? I'm not in the mood for a lecture."

"Oh, um." Yellow hesitated. "Couldn't you say it was self-defense? I'm not going to lie to Red."

She seemed to squirm at the conflict, but Star was still annoyed. He had grown accustomed to the fear on the faces of humans when they came into close contact with him, but Yellow's features held no trepidation. He was reminded of Red.

"Fine, fine," Star-Lord said, raising his arms in surrender. "I'll confess like a good boy. I assume you want me to lead you to my trainer."

"That would be very helpful, Star," Yellow said, giving him a big smile, though it faded quickly. "I assume the Diglett won't be very keen on helping me out after I cleaned up someone who killed one of their own."

"Hey, don't try to guilt trip me, that thing would've killed us both," Star said. "Look, I'll lead you out…"

His brutish face broke into a crooked grin. "If you'll have a quick battle with me."

Yellow glanced back at her Doduo and Pichu, both standing and eager for orders. Yellow looked back at Star-Lord and smiled.

"Nope."

"Pardon?" Star asked, sure he had misheard. "You're going to try to find your way out yourself?"

"Yup!" Yellow said, as her Doduo knelt so she could hop on.

"But that's suicide without a map! You'll die in here!" the Charmeleon protested.

"I'm optimistic!" Yellow said, turning around to face Star-Lord as the Doduo set off. "Say hi to Red for me if you find him before I do!"

Star-Lord was still gaping long after the light that had been permeating the Pichu's body had faded into the usual blackness of Diglett's tunnel.

Still, shaking his head in disbelief, he set off after them. "Well, anyone Red likes has to be equally as stubborn as he is, I guess."


	31. Of Sock Hats and Bike Shorts

The port city of Vermilion, once Kanto's pride and joy, still hadn't quite been restored to its former glory. The longest battle of the war had been on its soil, for, unlike some of the other southern cities, it had put up one hell of a fight against the Johtian invaders.

Lieutenant Santiago Surge and his Instinct Corps had been relentless, keeping the city in play with guerilla tactics and sheer force of will, holding off Johto for far longer than should've been possible. The cost was essentially the city itself, which had been all but destroyed. Johto had demolished any building that could've hidden Kantonian soldiers and were quick to gun down even the civilians who could not escape in time, for fear that they were hiding Poke-balls up their sleeves.

It had been a long time since then, and progress in restoring the city and its population were making progress; but one couldn't step outside without hearing the roar of construction or the begging of the disenfranchised. Vermilion was known for its beautiful sunsets, especially in how the light reflected on the sea, but there was an edge to the people bustling around Vermilion's streets or casting out their fishing poles out from the docks.

The death count on the land where they stood had been inconceivably high. And since Vermilion was a port city, it would be Johto's first target if they ever invaded again.

But, once a year, when the SS Anne docked at Vermilion harbor, the city found life again.

The harbor itself had been mostly untouched; Johto had taken it without much fanfare and what was damaged was the first to be restored in the war's aftermath. Kanto wasn't particularly fond of foreigners, but the merchants from Alola and some other regions set up their markets along Vermilion's boardwalk, and for once what was new was exotic and charming. The people and Pokemon of Kanto came from far and wide to St. Anne's festival, where for once they could feel proud of their victory against Johto.

A happy little Squirtle had swum from his home on a nearby beach to view the festivities, and for now he was sitting on a railing over the docks, taking in the sea air with a relaxed sort of smile.

Just as he was thinking of taking a closer look, though, he felt a blunt pain in the back of his head, and he vanished in a burst of red light.

* * *

"You know, I thought that starter Pokemon were supposed to be really rare," Red said, still grinning down at the Poke-ball that held his new Squirtle. "But this game's been handing them to me like freaking lollipops."

"Hey, man," Rocket said, tapping his trainer's back with his tail and giving him a Cheshire grin. "Are you complaining?"

"Of course not!" Red said, setting the Pokeball on his belt. "Now we have a full team of six!"

"I'm not sure if it counts, considering Star's been gone for a while," Rocket said.

"Bah, he's super tough. He can handle anything in Diglett's Cave," Red said. "But, speaking of Star-Lord, I gotta think of a suitable name for our friend here. I'm thinking 'Drax' is apt."

"Oh, wonderful," Rocket said, rolling his eyes. "Now all you need is a Gamora and you'll have the complete set."

"Oh, true," Red said, considering for a moment. "Do you think I should find a name rater and change Jackie or Lucina's name?"

They set back up to Diglett's Cave, where the rest of the team was waiting.

"Next time we wait out for hours, can you bring up some fold-up chairs or snacks or something," Lucina moaned. "My wings are getting exhausted."

"Wouldn't say no to a magazine, to be honest," Groot agreed, letting out a little yawn.

"C'mon guys, we can make the most out of waiting," Red said. "Look, I just got us a new teammate."

A moment later, Drax the Squirtle was blinking the white light out of his eyes. Rubbing at his eyes, he gazed back at the four Pokemon staring at him.

"Nice to meet you!" Groot said, breaking the silence and casting out a vine for the Squirtle to shake.

"Likewise," Drax said, allowing the vine to wrap around his hand. "Wow, I always wondered what it would be like to get caught."

"You got any fighting experience?" Lucina asked. "Because you sure have a lot to catch up on."

Drax's smile didn't falter. "None at all. But hey, I'm open to the new experience."

"Ooh, can I show him the ropes?" Jackie asked. "I've been itching to fight someone all day!"

"No, Jackie, it's our rest day," Red said. "Yesterday you guys went up a lot of levels, and your bodies need to get used to the change. You don't want to strain everything."

"Well, can we at least hit up the festival?" Jackie moaned. "Curse this nose; the exotic smells are so tempting!"

"Not until Yellow gets here!" Red snapped. "And not until Blue's finished with his match against Lieutenant Surge. And not until I get Lieutenant Surge's autograph."

"Also, this'll probably just fall on deaf ears, but Star-Lord's been in Diglett's cave for a long time, and maybe we should be concerned about that," Rocket said.

"Relax, Rocket, I've been communicating with him telepathically, it's fine," Lucina said. "In fact, well, here he comes now."

Sure enough, they could see two faint lights emerging from the cave. Star-Lord stepped out onto the grass, squinting a little at the sun, and behind them, atop a Doduo, was-

"Yellow!" Red cried, actually jumping in excitement.

"Red!" Yellow said, urging her Doduo into a sprint. Spring boarding off his back, she jumped at Red, who caught her with a yelp and stumbled.

"Ah, balance, Yellow, balance!" Red said, as Groot's vines steadied him. "Um...Hi."

Yellow grinned up at him. "Hi. Hold me out so I can see you!"

Red laughed, holding her up from under her arms, Rafiki style. "Do I look good?"

"You look good, dude!" Yellow said.

Dropping her down again, Red gestured to her Doduo and Pichu, who were standing back a little. "You didn't tell me you started your own journey. I thought you couldn't start until trainer season begins!"

"Yeah, well, not exactly legally," Yellow said. "I took some guy's trainer card."

"Yellow, that's stealing!" Red said. "What did we tell you about stealing?"

"He was a criminal!" Yellow protested.

"Oh, well, that's okay then," Red said. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and steered her over to the direction of Vermilion. "C'mon, let's get to the festival already. We can meet Blue at the gym, and then we gotta try some of those Malasadas from Alola they're selling at the markets by the harbor."

"Well, I was gonna take a nap on an actual bed, maybe take a shower—"

"C'mon, we'll just dunk you in the ocean," Red said. "Hurry! Hurry!"

"Fine," Yellow said, punching him on the shoulder. "But only because I can't say no to you."

They took off down the hill, followed by their Pokemon, but Red quickly turned and threw her on his shoulders. "Too slow! You need longer legs!"

"Too fast, Red! Too fast!"

* * *

Blue sauntered out of the Vermilion City gym, ignoring the press, who mobbed him as soon as he stepped through the doors. Surge had been a tougher opponent than Brock, but he'd still managed to squeak by a win without losing a single Pokemon.

Reporters invaded his personal space, holding up microphones for him to speak into, but he was too focused on the Thunder Badge sliding in between his fingers.

The press chased him all day to the docks, when finally, Blue had had enough. Unsnapping a Poke-ball from his belt, he released his Sandslash, who brandished his claws at his stalkers. That caused them to back up a bit.

"Thanks, Carolyn," Blue said, smiling down at his Pokemon, who offered him a conspiratorial wink. "Want to grab something to eat? You deserve something nice, after that performance."

Carolyn's eager affirmation was interrupted by screaming, as commotion in the distance caused the paparazzi to part even further.

Blue groaned. The screaming sounded very familiar.

Thundering towards him was Red, with Yellow sitting on his shoulders. Blue didn't even have a moment to react before they crashed into him, and all three fell into the water below with a very powerful splash.

Spitting out water, Blue turned to Red, who was cracking up as he struggled to keep his head above the water. "I really hate you; you know that?"

"Ah, you know you love me," Red said, wiping at his eyes. "Someone find me my hat?"

* * *

"See, Yellow?" Red said, nudging her. The three, having been pulled back onto the docks, were wrapped in fuzzy white towels. "Don't need a shower after all."

"Seriously, Red, they'll find your body washed up on Cinnabar island," Blue snapped. "God, it's gonna take the rest of the afternoon to fix my hair again!"

"Fix your hair?" Yellow asked.

"You think it's that naturally spiky on its own?" Blue said, gesturing to his towel-wrapped head.

"Anyway, c'mon, we're burning daylight!" Red said, hopping to his feet and tossing away his towel. He gulped, grabbing his shivering chest to warm himself. "Ooh, that was a mistake."

He turned to Star-Lord. "Hey, I have an idea. Use—"

"No!" Blue and Yellow cried out at the same time.

"You don't even know what I was going to say!"

Despite Red drenching them, the day at Vermilion's festival was the most fun the three ended up having in a while. They had enjoyed sampling different food types from different regions, though Yellow had been a little bit confused about what was meant for humans and what was meant for Pokemon.

They had spent the most time in a little boutique styled tent from Kalos, where they had fun trying on different styles of clothes. Or at least, Red and Yellow did. Blue was too busy examining the sunglasses.

"You know there's separate stalls for men and women to change, right?" Blue said, looking up from a particularly sporty pair.

"On s'en fout?" Yellow said, stepping out from behind the curtain clad in oversized boxers, a lime green jacket, and a beret.

"Dude," Red said, stepping out behind her in equally ridiculous clothing and holding cans of cologne in both hands. "You should check out some of these scents; they're hilarious. I want to buy fifty of them."

"Red, stop taking advantage of my grandfather's money—are you wearing some kind of sock on your head?" Blue asked, straining for a closer look.

"Isn't it weird?" Red agreed, pulling off the hat. "Is it supposed to be like, white hair or something? That doesn't seem very fashion forward."

"Oh, excuse me, that doesn't belong there!" the vendor said, hurrying over to snatch the hat from Red's hand. "This is from my Hoennese colleague's booth. More of a contemporary style."

"Wait, there's more weird stuff like this?" Red asked. "C'mon, Yellow!"

"Right behind you!" Yellow cried, the beret falling off as she sprinted after him.

"Wait, please return our—" the vendor gave up as he watched Red and Yellow charge down the docks, terrifying a group of Pidgeys. "God, I hate Kantonians."

"Yeah, we're an odd bunch, aren't we?" Blue said, showing the vendor the sunglasses he had chosen. "I'll take these, by the way."

"Ah, but if you don't mind me suggesting, this pair would look wonderful with that gem around your-"

"Don't touch it!" Blue snapped, and the vendor recoiled. "I, uh…sorry about that. I just get a little overprotective. And yes, you're right, those glasses do look really nice…"

* * *

"Awww, guys, look!" Jackie, said, through a mouthful(?) of cotton candy. "Star's scared of the water."

"Shut up, you little pipsqueak," Star-Lord snapped, though it was higher pitched than he would've liked. "If the flame at the end of my tail goes out, I die. I have the right to be a little averse to it."

"Yeah, I usually don't like to agree with the overgrown lizard, but me getting to fall off the dock wouldn't be a pretty sight either," Rocket said. "You wanna stick around on dry land, maybe go a few rounds?"

"If by 'go a few rounds', you mean I beat you to a bloody pulp, then sure, let's have at it," Star-Lord said, and the two turned back.

"What about you, Ikue?" Drax asked, letting out a little yawn. "Gonna stick around?"

"Heck yeah!" the Pichu cried. "What has the ecosystem ever done for me?"

"Right on, little dude," Drax said, high fiving Ikue's tail. "Y'know, I saw that some of those carnival games were pretty rigged earlier. Want to go beat up the guys running it in the name of justice?"

"Yes!" Ikue cried, and they ran off as well, Jackie tossing her cotton candy behind her in her after them, yelling about giving her time to find something to throw.

This left Groot and Lucina alone with a very stressed out looking Edward and Alphonse, who were surveying the festival like their lives depended on it. The Doduo had climbed up onto a suspension cable and hadn't moved since.

"So, are you going to talk to them?" Lucina said, looking down at Groot.

"What, me?" Groot yelped. "Why do I have to do it?"

"Because you're the psychiatrist or whatever."

"I'm trained to be a Human Psychiatrist," Groot corrected. "I'm not so good with Pokemon's feelings."

"Oh, well that's convenient," Lucina scoffed. "You're wonderful at helping out the species that doesn't know we can talk to them."

"Besides, there's no way I could get up there with my stubby little legs anyway," Groot said, before he found himself floating in the air. "Oh right, you're a psychic."

"Yes, I am." Lucina's eyes were outlined with a pink hue. "Now stop stalling and calm them down. They're gonna freak people out."

Letting out a little sigh of resignation, Groot cleared his throat as Lucina floated him up further so he was adjacent with the Doduo.

"Um, hey," Groot said, waving a vine. Alphonse's eyes flitted over to him.

"How can we help you?" Edward said.

"Well, I couldn't help but notice that you guys seem a little...paranoid?" Groot said. "This is supposed to be a festival. Maybe it would behoove you to relax a little?'

"Behoove us?" Alphonse snorted. "It would behoove us to keep an eye out. Yellow told us about the ninjas, and we made ourselves a target when we stole from that Rocket Industries worker. Every shadow could hide a knife."

"Oh, god," Groot said, in horrified realization. "That's a good point."

He yelped as Lucina dropped him for a moment, enough for that falling sensation to form in the pit of his stomach, before she caught him again with her mind. Groot threw her a mutinous glare, which she returned with interest.

"What I mean to say is, they wouldn't dare risk attacking in broad daylight," Groot said. "We're in too crowded a place, and we have a whole buddy system going on. Besides, worst comes to worst, I think their goal is to convince us to be sympathetic to their cause. They wouldn't throw away lives so easily."

"A fair point…" Edward said after a moment. "But it's hard not to feel useless at times. They can do whatever they want whenever they want. Being reactionary, letting it happen, it's all so hard to be patient."

"Well, we are moving in a direction," Groot said "Blue and Red are heading up to Celadon City to confront whoever is leading Rocket Industries, and it's not as if we don't have time on our hands. So, for now, take advantage of this break we have, and the festival. I have a feeling that celebrations like this are far and few between. See if you can relax and enjoy yourself a little."

Alphonse gave him an appraising look. "You know, you remind me of our trainer."

"He does, doesn't he?" Edward agreed. "What do you say, brother? Shall we take a bit of a load off?"

"Thank you, er, Groot, was it?" Alphonse said. "We'll do as you say."

As the Doduo hopped down onto the dock and took after their trainer, Lucina gently floated Groot back down with a little knowing smirk.

"You really are a little psychiatrist, aren't you?" She said, slapping him with a wing. "Nice work, kid, I'm impressed."

"Yeah, well, I'm a little impressed too," Groot said. "I wouldn't have thought you cared enough to have me calm someone down. That was a good call."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm not as soft as that," Lucina said. "I just thought it looked tacky; a great big ostrich squawking over a pretty festival."

"Uh-huh," Groot said, a knowing grin of his own on his face.

"You know, I really don't like this cocky version of you. We need to keep you humbled, Groot."

* * *

"You know, I'm probably going to stick with my old duds, but this sporty style is really nice," Red said. He was clad in skin-tight athletic wear. "Really brings out my abs. Still not loving the weird sock hat though."

"Yeah, you look good!" Yellow said. "I didn't really think black and red fit well together, but you're pulling that look off!"

"Yeah and um, I really like those…" Red blushed and looked away. "Those bike shorts looked really good on you."

Yellow's smile became mischievous, and she bumped him with her butt. "Ooh, maybe I'll have to buy them, then."

"Can you two stay off each other for like, five seconds?" Blue asked, having finally caught up. "Playing third wheel isn't fun."

"Aw, dude, don't tell me those sunglasses were the only thing you bought," Red said.

"Hey, fuck you," Blue said, putting them on. "I have sensitive eyes."

Chuckling, he gestured over to the crowd gathering by the ramp up to the SS Anne. "By the way, they're boarding. We're gonna want to get ready; the party is for trainers, but it's pretty fancy. We've all been camping out for weeks, we're gonna look like homeless people if we don't get ourselves cleaned up."

"Well, yeah," Red said. "But we still have time to walk around a bit, right? Party goes all night, doesn't it?"

"Y'know, Surge is on board right now," Blue suggested innocently.

"We have to get ready!" Red shouted, before turning to Yellow. "Er, right after—"

"Right after I buy the bike shorts?" Yellow asked. She laughed at Red's pleading nod. "All right, all right. You know, you're lucky you're cute."

"God, do I hate hanging out with you two alone," Blue said with a little sigh as they went to talk to the woman selling the clothes.


	32. Promises, Promises

"Come on, come on!" Star-Lord bellowed, side-stepping Rocket's thunder shock with ease. "You can aim better than that!"

Well, it wasn't like he was giving Rocket a chance. The Charmeleon spun, spewing out jets of flame that Rocket was forced to roll to avoid. He had no openings.

But he did have speed. With a bellow of his own, Rocket took off towards Star in a sprint, bobbing and weaving to avoid the explosion at his feet that erupted into a pillar of fire. He closed the distance between him and his opponent, got close enough to see the smoke unfurling from Star's mouth—

—and then he was gasping in pain as Star's tail slapped him across the stomach and sent him rolling back to where he started. He tried to rise but found Star's claws at his throat.

"Please don't tell me you're Red's strongest guy," Star said, the disappointment dripping from his tone caused Rocket's blood to boil. "Otherwise you guys are gonna get clobbered before you hit the fourth gym."

"Okay one, no, I'm definitely not the strongest," Rocket snapped. "Two, would you mind helping me up?"

"You'll be stronger if you get up yourself." Star-Lord's tail swished as he walked away, and sparks signed Rocket's fur.

Rocket so desperately wanted to send another lightning blast his way, but he figured that was what the Charmeleon wanted. He was brilliant at picking fights with the team (mostly Jackie), and then proceed to beat the tar out of them when they challenged him. It was an annoying dynamic.

"Aw, come on, you guys were fighting? I told you, today was our rest day."

Star-Lord raised his hands in surrender. "All right, all right, boss. It won't happen ag—what the hell are you wearing?"

Red was wearing a tuxedo, and for once, his hair wasn't hopelessly messy. He wouldn't look out of place next to the people Rocket saw walk up and down the streets of Saffron, a far cry from his usual 'adventure gear' as he often called it.

Unfortunately, the look was ruined because he had jammed his hat over his neatly combed hair. Still, Rocket couldn't help but admire the effort.

"Uh, yeah, I know it's not really my style," Red said, shuffling awkwardly. "But you know, since we're going to a fancy party and all—"

"It just seems so impractical," Star said, looking over the tux like it had offended him somehow. "And what's with the flower?"

"It's a carnation!" Red protested. "What's wrong with carnations?"

"Nothing at all, I guess," Star said. "But uh, does it have to be pink?"

"It reminds me of Delilah," Red said, pouting.

"You clean up nice," Rocket said, climbing up onto Red's shoulder. "Yellow's gonna be impressed."

"You really think so?" Red asked, lighting up like a Christmas tree.

"Well, I mean, she'll probably be as confused by human fashion as Star over here," Rocket admitted, before batting his eyes flirtatiously at Red. "But I still think you look great."

"Aw, man, you're gonna make me cry," Red said, ruffling the fur on Rocket's head. "Let's go, it took a while to find you guys, and everyone's waiting!"

"Yeah, I think I'll pass on this one," Star-Lord said, folding his arms. "Parties aren't really my thing. And I'm not a fan of boats, either."

"Well, it is a trainer party," Red said. "So, we'll be able to see some foreign battle styles—"

"You had me at 'trainer', boss," Star said, jogging ahead of them. "Let's get going!"

* * *

"Ow! Ow! Stupid heels!" Yellow hissed, her hand on Blue's shoulder tightening and causing him to wince. "Who would ever design these stupid things! Can't I go barefoot?"

"No, Yellow, you can't go barefoot," Blue snorted, helping her over to a bench close to where the SS Anne was docked. With a sigh of relief, she made to take them off, but Blue slapped her hand away.

"Come on! Just let my toes get some air for five seconds!" Yellow whined. "If I keep these on any longer, they're gonna fall off!"

"Yellow, you're making a scene!" Blue hissed, gesturing to where a couple of partygoers were staring at them in amusement. Yellow went red.

"Um, yeah, sorry," she said, but she nudged him again when they walked over to show their boarding passes to a bored looking sailor standing by the ramp. "So, what's the point of dressing up anyway? I mean I get that it's like, supposed to attract mates, but how come we dress fancy for pretty much any occasion?"

"I'm not getting into the complexities of human social behavior, Yell," Blue said. "Look, just tolerate tonight and I'll get you some silly putty to play with on your way to Cinnabar."

"Really? Oh, Blue, you're the best!" Yellow said, swooping up to kiss him on the cheek. "I love that stuff!"

"I know you do," Blue said. "And this time it won't even get in my hair."

It was about then that Red arrived, Rocket sitting on his shoulder. "Whoa, you guys look awesome!"

Yellow was wearing a white, strapless dress that clashed brilliantly with her blonde hair, and Blue, was, of course, wearing a navy-blue suit that no doubt cost more than Red's whole house.

"You don't look bad yourself, Red-y boy," Blue said, grinning at the effort his friend had put into his appearance. "Nice carnation."

"Is it edible?" Yellow asked curiously. "I mean, it looks pretty, but if you were hungry do you think-"

"You know what, Yellow?" Red said, looking down at it. "You'll be the first to know."

"You two are weird," Blue snorted. "Ready to slay this party?"

"Always, man," Red said, clasping Blue's shoulder. "Always."

"Oh, yeah, make sure to keep an eye on her," Blue muttered to Red, jerking a finger over to Yellow, who was struggling to keep up with them in her heels. "Just because, y'know, she's new to all this party stuff, and…"

"Creepy old rich guys?" Red said, catching on.

Blue nodded to affirm. "Creepy old rich guys."

* * *

St. Anne was just about the only historical figure that the people of the world agreed universally was worthy of praise, and she found herself ingrained in each region's history; remembered as the warlord of liberation. This rang true in the cruise liner that took her name; the boat was a welcome sight to every region in its yearlong travel across the globe.

Red, Yellow, and Blue, used to the cozy small town of Pallet, were overwhelmed by the explosion of culture and sheer amount of people in one place the second they stepped up to the ship's deck.

Pokemon that Red and Yellow had never seen or heard of before were everywhere; battling against the Pokemon from other trainers, or in the process of being traded. One odd Pokemon that Red suspected was from Hoenn was doing an odd dance for a crowd, its sombrero shaped head shaking almost as much as a pair of maracas in its hands.

Both Red and Yellow looked to Blue for guidance. After all, he was the most worldly of the three of them and had the most experience with big parties; but he had disappeared in a mob of trainers demanding his autograph.

"Guess when you're an Oak, people just can't get enough of you," Yellow said. Red said nothing, glaring at Blue, who had wrapped his arms around the two girls who had sidled up to him. Blue caught Red's eye and flashed a cocky little grin.

Red was pushed aside by an influx of tourists, eager to meet Blue as well. Yellow darted forward, catching him before he could crash into something.

"Hey, you know what, that's rude!" Red shouted after them. "I'm a celebrity too, you know! The legendary Red? The one who beat Misty and Brock? Blue's greatest rival?"

No one gave Red a second glance.

"Aww," Red said, sagging his shoulders.

"Buck up," Yellow said, patting him on the back. "There's still a whole party to enjoy. Look, is that Lieutenant Surge over there?"

Red's face brightened. "Oh my god, it is!"

Dragging Yellow by the arm, he pushed himself past the crowd growing around the ex-officer. A crowd even bigger than the one around Blue.

* * *

Santiago Surge was a soldier. A fighter. A survivor. And one of the best Pokemon battlers in the Kanto region.

But he always considered himself to be a musician first.

It was a secret he'd hidden from the world behind a dazzling smile and catchy one-liners, but combat scared Surge, even when it was a simple match between Pokemon. He supposed that was exactly why he excelled at it.

But in blowing into his sax, in the deft movement of his fingers as he created what he truly believed was art, he was able to lose himself into what he loved. In his speeches to his men back at the war, he talked big about foraging a better future for Kanto, fighting for the men they had lost.

In truth, he wanted desperately to win so he could go back to doing what he loved.

Surge wasn't known because of his passion for contemporary jazz, but he found in life that what you loved didn't correlate with what you were remembered for.

He didn't think that would be the case for Red and Blue, who he could tell loved training Pokemon so much it hurt.

With Blue Oak, it had been subtle. It was the look in his eyes when he'd challenged him. The way every slight mistake he made during their battle seemed to cause him pain. The way he ignored the cameramen and girls screaming his name, throwing their undergarments onto the battlefield…

The way, when he finally won, he gripped the badge he had earned like it was water after a grueling march through the desert.

Red was different. He showed his passion by bodily shoving past anyone in his way getting into Surge's personal space.

"Hello, sir! Surge! Lieutenant, Sir! Santiago!" Red cried, doing an awkward salute. "I always wanted to be like you when I was my age, I mean your age, I mean, er, growing up. Thank you for the service for our region, can we battle please? Sir!"

Surge stared at the display for a moment. "You picked out a pink carnation?"

Red yelped as Surge's bodyguard, a powerful Electivire, wrapped his tentacles around his waist and lifted him high in the air.

"Yes, it's pink! Pink is a cool color!" Red cried, trying and failing to escape the Electivire's grip. "Is the gym battle starting now?"

"Well, you sure are something. I'll give you that," Surge said, chuckling. "Let him go, Enkidu. Everybody, give us some room! I'll be back to sign autographs later."

The Electivire grunted, dropping Red, who hit the floor with a thump. Now that the crowd had dispersed, a girl who had been on the sidelines finally managed to find an opening and help Red to his feet.

"I respect passion, kiddo, and you've got a lot of it." Surge decided to give him the whole works, drawing himself up to his full height and flexing the muscles on his arms. Kids like Red tended to eat it up. "Let me buy you something to eat and we'll talk about a gym battle."

Red let out a little squeal of excitement. "Thank you, Surge, sir! This is um...my friend, Yellow."

"Hi!" the blonde girl said, polite but without that reverential gleam in her like most kids tended to have around Surge. "Sorry about Red. He can be a handful."

"It's no bother," Surge said, returning Enkidu to his Poke-ball. "Come on, there's this restaurant that has the best seafood you've ever tasted-"

He stopped, noticing that both Red and Yellow were sharing a glance. "Er, is that a problem?"

"Sorry, we just don't go for seafood anymore," Yellow said, rubbing her arm awkwardly. "You see, there was this incident with a Kingler…"

* * *

Blue had had a feeling that Red had no doubt dragged poor Surge out of the party to demand attention from him, and he was proven right when he'd arrived at the Little Sinnohan Seafood Grill.

There Red and Yellow sat across from Surge, who was, as always, dressed up in his uniform. He was tying a bib around his neck, while Yellow and Red dug into the plate of chicken nuggets they were sharing. Red's Pikachu had already cleaned out the ketchup.

"Blue!" Surge said, flashing him that signature, toothy smile of his. "Take a seat. I'm paying."

"I'll get a separate check. I spend way too much money on what I eat," Blue said, pulling out the chair next to Red and gesturing for a waiter to come over.

The waiter he had gestured to was quickly outpaced by another, however, one who was staring right into Blue's eyes. He stopped in front of them and cleared his throat, as the loser of their little competition slunk away.

"It's a wonderful opportunity to serve both Blue Oak and Lieutenant Surge, tonight," the man said, beaming. His Sinnohan accent was thick. "What can I get you today, sir?"

"You know what?" Blue said, looking over the menu. "I get a little particular with how I order my food. Maybe I should just write it down?"

"Ah, of course," the waiter said, handing him a pad of paper and pen. As Blue began to scribble, he tuned into the conversation happening between the rest of the table.

"So, Ken took an interest in you, did he?" Surge said, looking at Red. "Eh, I'm not surprised. To be perfectly honest you remind me a lot of him."

"I do?" Red said, smiling at that. "He's one of the coolest guys I've ever met, so I'm flattered."

"Yep, Ken was great at annoying at everyone with his corny jokes," Surge said with a wistful little sigh. "He was also a godawful soldier. Almost accidentally shot me during basic training."

Red's face fell. "Oh."

"Ha! It's still a compliment, kiddo. Ken was irritating sometimes, but in that way you couldn't help but be charmed by. He's one of the most genuine people I've ever known."

Surge picked apart his lobster. "Uh…I'm glad he's doing this, staking so much on you. He tries to hide it, but his failed career as a trainer really bothers him. So, make sure to be the best for his sake, yeah?"

"Of course!" Red said, jumping out of his seat. "Let me prove to you that I have what it takes already!"

"Calm down, calm down," Surge said, leaning back in his chair. "We'll get to it tomorrow, all right? Try to relax, take the night easy."

"Okay, but now I'm pumped!" Red said. "I have to fight someone!"

"Well," Surge said, thinking for a moment. "I'll be honest, your rivalry with Blue sparks my interest. Why don't you two have a battle? I'm sure the crowd will clear up quick at the chance to see an Oak in action."

"Trust me, if you want Red to impress you, don't pit him against me," Blue said as he handed the waiter his order. "We're just not in the same league."

"Oh, yeah, tough guy?" Red said, holding out a Poke-ball. "Prove it. One on one. Surge can referee."

"Hey, I never said I wouldn't do it," Blue said, standing up as well. "Let's give them a good show, Red-y boy."

"Eat your order first," Surge said, gesturing them both to take their seats. "No fighting on an empty stomach."

"Yeah, if I'm going to go through the emotional rollercoaster of watching you two battle again, I demand more chicken nuggets first," Yellow said firmly.

* * *

Surge had been right. The prospect of seeing Blue in action was enough for the crowd to give the two trainers a wide berth, their own little makeshift stadium. It seemed the whole ship was coming to watch the match, even the crew.

Red and Blue stared each other down, a Poke-ball firm in their grip. Surge and Yellow were in the front row, Surge's Electivire Enkidu making sure they had a considerable amount of space between them and the rest of the mob.

"All right, cadets!" Surge shouted in his best drill instructor voice. "This match will be one on one, no substitutions! The battle will end when one Pokemon is unable to battle or the trainer recalls them. No lethal attacks, as this is a friendly battle! Call out your Pokemon!"

"Star-Lord, let's kick some ass!" Red said, and out from his Poke-ball burst the Charmeleon, who let out a roar of challenge, his claws flexed and his tail burning hot in anticipation.

Blue hesitated before shouting, "Phebe, you're up!" The Raticate landed onto the deck, baring his teeth.

Something seemed to come over Red, and he began to sniff the air.

"What the hell are you doing?" Blue asked.

"It's weird," Red said, continuing to make loud sniffing noises in the direction of Blue's Raticate. "I think I smell death flags."

"Oh, ha ha," Blue said, rolling his eyes. "We all know the stupid creepypasta. Let's get this over with, all right?"

"Yeah, it's just, why pick Raticate?" Red asked. "Seriously, it's a rodent you catch on the first route. How could it possibly beat a Char-?"

"Phebe, quick attack!" Blue ordered.

In less than an instant, Phebe vanished and reappeared, slamming his head into Star's stomach. The Charmelon gasped in pain, before coughing out a cloud of smoke.

"Crap, Star! Use ember!" Red shouted, but Phebe was spinning away, easily avoiding the column of flame Star released from his mouth.

"What was that about Raticates being weak?" Blue taunted. "Now, hyper fang!"

"Claw him up, Star!" Red shouted, and both Pokemon lunged.

Instead of following through, however, Star brought up a defensive hand over his neck, and a moment later Phebe tore into it, throwing up a stream of blood.

"Shit, Star!" Red said, horrified.

Star-Lord grinned. The Raticate was vulnerable.

He swiped down with his claw down the Raticate's side, and Phebe squeaked in pain as Star found purchase.

"Get out of there, Phebe!" Blue said, his voice an octave higher than normal, but Star had already calculated where the Raticate would land. This time, the ember he spat out met its mark, and Phebe squeaked in pain again, hitting the deck in a roll following the explosion of flame.

With a grunt of effort, Phebe rose to his feet, covered in burn wounds. His side was bloody. The Raticate managed to steady his breathing and tensed as Star-Lord approached, claws at the ready.

"You want to keep going, Blue?" Red said, concern mingling in with his excitement. "I don't want to hurt your Pokemon if I don't have to."

Blue hesitated only a moment before recalling Phebe. "You win this round, Red."

The crowd fell into a disappointed silence and began to disperse, but Surge was smiling as he came to greet them. "Not bad, kids!"

"You beat him!" Yellow cried, running up to Red, though he didn't seem very enthused.

"That wasn't a real battle, was it?" Red asked suspiciously. "Phebe's about to retire."

"Guilty," Blue admitted. "Fights have been taking a toll on him recently, and he hasn't been keeping up with the rest of the team. I wanted to test him against you, see how you improved and if it was about time to put him to pasture.

"And, I have to say, I'm impressed, Red," Blue said. "You're definitely getting stronger. I may have to take you seriously, soon."

"Oh no, none of this 'soon' business!" Red said. "Come on, let's have a real battle right now!"

"Let's see how you do against Surge, first. If you win the badge, I'll take you on at Lavender Town."

Surge grinned, clapping Red on the back hard enough to cause him to stumble. "Seems like a plan, kid. I promise I won't be easy to beat."

The Lieutenant let out a loud yawn. "I'm getting too old for all this excitement. Think I'm gonna turn in. Have fun at the party tonight, kids!"

As he walked off, Red, Yellow, and Blue gathered to stare after him.

"Is it just me or is he really hard to read?" Red asked.

"Oh, his face is a mask all right," Blue said. "And he's a monster to face in a Pokemon battle. You're gonna have your hands full tomorrow. In fact, I might have to watch it myself."

He punched Red on the arm. "I'll catch you later, man. There are too many ladies here actually paying for their drinks themselves. I have to remedy that."

He tapped Yellow's shoulder affectionately and took off, swamped by another entourage of fans before too long.

"Guess that just leaves us, huh," Red said, turning to Yellow. "Um, night's still young. If you wanted to like, hang out or something?"

"I can think of something fun," Yellow said, running her hand through hair nervously. "You know. In my cabin. Away from everyone else."

* * *

Massaging Yellow's aching feet wasn't exactly what Red had had in mind but considering how much she did for him on a consistent basis, he was happy to give back a little. Besides, he knew how badly those heels had been bothering her.

"Oh god, you're amazing, Red," Yellow said, sinking down into her bed. "I don't know how you got so good at this, but I'm not complaining."

"I was my mom's personal masseur for as long as I can remember," Red chuckled. "You want a shoulder rub, next?"

"Yes, please!" Yellow said, and a few minutes later she was lying on her stomach, sighing contentedly as he applied just the right amount of pressure on her back.

"Hey, are you doing okay?" Red asked as he worked on the back of her neck "Usually you're a lot looser, more relaxed. There's way more tension in your shoulders than normal."

"I um...it's mostly just thinking about Rocket and Mewtwo," Yellow said. "What happened at Mt. Moon to you and Blue still scares me."

"Sorry for freaking you out," Red said. "Was uh...was that the reason you started your journey? Are you doing anything dangerous?"

"A little," Yellow said. "It's why I'm going to Cinnabar, at least."

Red's hands dropped from her back. "Okay, now I'm scared too."

Yellow gave a little smile at that she climbed back into sitting position. "Oh, Red."

"It's not because I don't think you can handle yourself," Red said quickly. "You're tougher than guys twice your height, you have those awesome healing powers, not to mention that you're the most wonderful person I've ever met in my life."

"Flatterer," Yellow said, hitting him with a pillow.

"Hey, I'm serious!" Red said, laughing. "Clearly, you're special. Everyone knows it. But you don't ever talk about it. And, that's fine, if you're not comfortable about well, elaborating what you're going through, or need to go through, or, y'know."

"You're kind of rambling," Yellow giggled. "But um, no. It's not something I'm really, well, allowed to explain."

"I just always feel helpless when it comes to you," Red admitted. "You're someone who grins and bears it when they face a problem, and I can identify with that to some extent, but if you're in danger, or if you need someone to lean on, I just want to be there."

He sighed, looking down. "But now we're going to different places, and you're putting yourself into some scary situation that I won't even know about-"

"If I promise I won't let anything happen to me, will that help?" Yellow asked. "I'll promise to be careful if you promise to be careful as well."

"Deal," Red said, relaxing a bit, and they bumped fists. "We're both gonna get out of this Rocket situation peachy keen."

"And we're gonna find Green, too," Yellow added. "I really hope she's okay."

"Oh man, don't even get me started on Green," Red said, moaning into the pillow Yellow had hit him with. He let out a little sigh, eyeing the clock. "They're gonna kick the non-passengers off soon. I um, I should probably go."

"Maybe, um, you could stow away tonight?" Yellow asked, grabbing his arm as he rose to his feet. "I'm gonna miss you a lot."

"I mean, obviously I'll miss you too," Red said. "But I think once they let off all the people onto the dock, they're going to pull down the ramp. So, if I wanted to leave in the morning before they depart, I'd have to jump over the side of the boat into the water."

"You're right," Yellow said, looking down. "It's silly, I shouldn't ask you to—"

"Are you kidding? Jumping off a boat is way worth it if I get to spend the night with you," Red said, letting her pull him back on the bed.

"You're such a goof," Yellow said, flicking his nose. "Just make sure not to jump off in your nice suit, okay?"

"You're really not going to let me live that down, are you?" Red said. "If an enraged Kingler was chasing you down, you'd jump into the water fully clothed too, you know."


	33. The Pill

It wasn't like Yellow needed a bed to sleep. She'd been fine snoozing on the nests the Pikachus made in the Viridian trees, or even against Ed and Al's fuzzy back when they had been camping. Once she'd gotten a full night's rest in the middle of an open field during a rainstorm.

But, once you had access to a nice, plush bed, it was hard to go back. When Yellow heard the knocking at her cabin door, it took a couple minutes to convince herself to leave the warm embrace of her blankets.

Yawning and stretching, she looked down at Red, who was...shivering on his side of the bed without anything to cover him. Unlike her, he hadn't anticipated that he'd stay on the SS Anne overnight, so he was just wearing his boxer shorts. Yet he had given her all the blankets. Rolling her eyes at the claim that Red had constantly made that she was the one always looking out for him, she gently placed a blanket over him. He stopped shivering, and Yellow smiled.

The knocking grew more urgent. Yellow saw Rocket stirring from his own little corner on the bed, and either Ed or Al let out a squawk of annoyance.

Ensuring she was decent, Yellow opened the door.

"Blue?"

"Hey, Yellow!" Blue said. His suit was a bit uneven, and there was a bruise on his neck that certainly hadn't been there when they'd arrived at the party. "I was going to stop by earlier, but I got side-tracked."

"I can see that," Yellow said, gesturing to his ruffled appearance. "You had fun at the party, I take it?"

"I usually like what comes after the party," Blue said, wiggling his eyebrows. "But listen, I've been thinking back to that battle with Red…"

He pulled out a Poke-ball. "I want you to look after Phebe for me."

Of all the reasons for Blue to show up late at night at her cabin door, Yellow didn't expect this one. "Wait, really? I mean I'd be happy to, but are you sure?"

Blue shrugged. "I considered leaving him over at Gramps' laboratory, but it'd be better for him to stretch his legs. I honestly figure that you're the best fit for him. Cinnabar's really nice this time of year. Do us a favor."

"Well all right, I won't say no to a new friend," Yellow said, taking the ball from him. "Thank you, Blue."

"Listen." Blue began to balance on the balls of his feet, as if he were considering what to say. "Be careful out there, okay? You're going right up into the clone's—"

"You mean Mewtwo?"

"God, Red, I hate you for making that name actually catch on." Blue rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Fine, Mewtwo, yeah. Cinnabar is his birthplace. I wouldn't be surprised if there are still some shady people around, people who won't be keen on letting you investigate around there. So, be careful, all right?"

Yellow smiled at that. "You know, Red basically said the same thing to me? You guys aren't as different as you claim to be."

Blue looked as though she had insulted his mother. "Nevermind. Go die in a hole. I take back my concern."

"Too late," Yellow said sweetly. "You be careful too, okay? I'm counting on you to look after Red, and I know you guys are planning on confronting the boss of Rocket in Celadon. Make sure Red doesn't do anything too reckless—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill."

"—But look after yourself too," Yellow finished. "I know you have to be the strong one and act suave and calm, but it's okay to show the pressure of the position you're in. That's what we're for, you know? To lean on."

Blue laughed. "Kettle meet pot."

"Just because I'm a hypocrite doesn't mean the advice isn't good," Yellow said, joining in with his laughter. "Take care of yourself."

"Yeah, yeah," Blue said, stepping out of the doorway so Yellow could shut it. "Say goodbye to Phebe for me."

Yellow looked at the Poke-ball on her hand, before tapping its button. There stood Phebe the Raticate, standing eager and with a roll of paper in his mouth.

"Hello there," Yellow said softly, stroking his fur. "What's that you got there? A note?"

She unfurled it. The handwriting wasn't Blue's.

_At this time tomorrow, meet me in the belowdecks, behind the painting of St. Anne._

_Bring your Pokemon-_

* * *

The next night, she was attacked before she even got close to that painting.

Dressed comfortably and practically, she had slunk around the security guards, and slid down the stairwell so her feet wouldn't make any noise against the steps. She had scouted out the below decks that day so it was a mere matter of retracing her steps back to the cute little room that depicted the art from various regions; the largest the portrait of St. Anne herself.

It was something Yellow hated to admit, but she'd always been scared of the dark. Not the night; she loved the light of the stars and the moon. But dark, cramped spaces? She grew anxious. Every shadow seemed to move, just out of the corner of her eyes. Every sound was the scrape of a knife.

Just when she was sure it was just in her head, one of the shadows fell upon her. She didn't even have time to toss out a Poke-ball.

But, well, it wasn't like she needed it.

The man lunging at her was wearing a dark garb, the clothes of a ninja, so he was difficult to see, but Yellow's eyes had adjusted well enough to the darkness. He had knives in his hands, but Yellow had escaped Scythers before.

One man was nothing.

She stepped into his swing, feeling a knife swish past her ear. With all her strength, she stamped down hard on his foot, and at his grunt of pain, shot up on her tippy toes and punched him in the throat. He fell, clutching his neck, emitting a sound that was a cross between a yelp and a gasp.

"Sorry!" Yellow said, cheerfully, tapping the button on her poke-ball to release Phebe. In a flash of light, Yellow saw another ninja, sprinting down a hallway, spinning some sort of whip in his hand—

But then the sound of a suppressed gunshot assaulted their ears, and the ninja's body convulsed. Blood splattered from his chest and he fell to the floor. Yellow stumbled back, watching dark red liquid soak the carpet under her.

A moment later, a third man was standing before Yellow, a flashlight pointed at her with one hand, and a gun pointed at her with the other.

The man, who's face Yellow thought seemed familiar, gave her a sheepish sort of smile. "Hope that didn't wake up the entire ship. Silencers can only do so much. Luckily, no one comes down here to clean until early morning."

"You-you killed him," Yellow said, after leaning down to check the man's pulse. "Who are you?"

The man snorted, pointing his flashlight down at the other man Yellow had punched out. "Well, to be fair, you didn't do a very good job of keeping your guy alive either."

Yellow looked down and started. The man had pulled off his mask to give the pair a parting smile. His mouth was foaming, and his eyes were glazed.

"Suicide pill," the man said, a touch of annoyance in his tone. "Means we can't get answers from him, though the usage of this specific brand gives away the culprit behind the attack."

"I know you," Yellow said, looking closer at his face. "You were the waiter who spoke with Blue during the party."

"Ah, Blue did say you'd catch on quick," the man said, holstering his gun. He held out a hand for her to shake. "I'm Looker, international police officer. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Yellow."

Yellow glanced down at Phebe, checking to see his reaction. He was calm, and his guard had dropped. Apparently she had no reason not to believe it was Looker. She shook his hand.

"I'd say the same, but I think I need a bit more context," she said. "I'm assuming you're the one who told me to come down here? Did you know that the ninjas would attack?"

"No," Looker admitted. "Which means they're even more competent than I thought. Hell, I probably would've been assassinated had Blue not warned me about them during the party."

"Ohhh," Yellow said. "That's why he was complaining about his order and kept having it changed. You were exchanging information."

Looker smiled. "Yes, but apparently the ninjas caught on; took sight of the message I sent to you and found the opportunity perfect to attack. Fortunately, you put up a greater fight than they realized."

"But, what do we do now?" Yellow said, pointing down at the now thoroughly bloodstained carpet beneath their feet. "How can we hide the struggle from the authorities?"

"We're not going to hide it," Looker said, crouching down next to the bodies. "In fact, we're going to fake my death. Make it look as though one of the ninjas shot me before proceeding to commit suicide."

"I'm sorry, but this is a lot to process," Yellow said. "I think I'm going to need a minute."

"I'd like to say it gets easier," Looker said with a sad little sigh as he began to strip down the ninja who had been shot through the chest. "But it doesn't."

* * *

From then on a good portion of the below decks were closed off, with the excuse of "being under maintenance". Yellow was relieved that the deaths were being kept under wraps and she wasn't a suspect, but the cover-up to keep the SS Anne away from controversy didn't exactly comfort her.

Yellow met with Looker the next afternoon. He was now dressed as a tourist, wearing a tacky Alolan shirt, with an excess of sunscreen on his nose to complete the look. They stood outside, the wind blowing their hair around as they watched the ocean pass them by.

"So, what's next, Looker?" Yellow asked. "We get to Cinnabar, you investigate, while I…"

She cleared her throat. "While I do what I need to do there."

"May I ask what that is?" Looker asked.

"No."

"Fair enough," Looker said. "But don't judge me for being curious."

"But, after that, what do we do? Whoever sent those ninjas won't be fooled for long, they'll know you and I escaped, and we don't even know where they come from."

"Indeed, the framing was only a temporary solution," Looker said. "But if you're going to have your secrets, you must permit me to keep mine as well. Still, your presence would actually benefit one of my plans quite a bit, if you would be willing to work with me."

"Uh, sure," Yellow said. "You know, you're not very good at making yourself seem trustworthy."

Looker barked a laugh. "No, I imagine I'm not. I wouldn't expect you to trust me. In fact, I feel exactly the same way. Red and Blue keep their lips tight when they speak about you, and Samuel Oak has never even mentioned you in the many times we've talked. There's something more to you, and I expect it will be difficult for me to find out.

"But for now, there's no reason we can't be friends," Looker said, digging through his pockets. "I'd forgotten, Blue had wanted me to give you this. I was going to hand it to you last night, but, well, given the deaths that occured I didn't think it seemed appropriate."

He handed her an egg shaped capsule about the size of her palm. She opened it and smiled. "Silly putty!"

"Blue thinks of everything, doesn't he?" Looker said, smiling at her reaction. "Before we part ways again, I'd like to offer up a bit of information. As an act of goodwill."

"Okay," Yellow said, already squishing the putty around in her hands.

"I said that last night the means of suicide narrowed down the culprit, the leader of these ninjas," Looker said. "The poison in that pill is one of the deadliest in the world; the touch of it against your lips causes a quick and painless death, without any fanfare. Quite ideal for those ready to take their own lives, but so hard to find and even identify that only the most practiced in the arts of poison would have access to it."

He gave Yellow a grave stare, and though she thought him impossible to read, for once she thought she found a trace of fear in his eyes. "The perpetrator is Koga, the gym leader of Fuschia City."


	34. A Scary Man and His Scarier Daughter

"So, this is Fuschia, eh?" Green said, dropping her hands from Charles' waist and sliding off the motorcycle. "Reminds me of Johto."

Fuschia City, from what she could see, was like a massive park. Clean brick pathways swerved between the grassy spaces, dotted with flowers of every color and trees that held beautiful pink blossoms in their branches. Pokemon that Oak had claimed were of the rarest in Kanto were living live peacefully in enclosures here; a herd of Tauros were resting under the shade of the trees, a few Ponytas were galloping around a track that looked as though it had been designed specifically for them, and even a young Lapras was treading water in a pond. The houses, a far cry from shabby cottages she had grown up around, were stylized with deeply curved roofs and designed with the insignias of legendary Pokemon that Johto worshipped.

"Well it's no wonder," Jessie said, stepping in line with her and Charles. The bus had pulled up behind their parked motorcycles and the last of the Rocketeers were piling out.

Jessie didn't seem to share Green's fascination with the uniquely styled houses or the pink trees. In fact, she seemed almost disgusted. "Fuschia was founded a few years before the Indigo War started, by Johtians loyal to their deities but at odds with the militaristic approach their theocracy had taken."

"I've heard Koga was from Johto and still practiced his religion with his followers. Guess those would be the ninjas," Green said, straining her mind to remember some of the modern history she had barely paid attention to back in school. "Pacifistic assassins. Seems like an oxymoron to me."

"Well, they're territorial pacifists, to be sure," Charles said. His own gaze at the city was one of longing. "Didn't hesitate to kill a few of my boys that got too close to Fuschia's borders."

"But they're not stopping us now?" Green said, gesturing to the line of motorcycles and the bus behind it. "Surely they know we're here?"

"Which means that they're giving us the benefit of the doubt," James said as he finally jogged over to them, his headcount completed. "It's said that Koga is a close personal friend of our boss, so we and the ninjas have alliance. That's not to say that they aren't wary though, look."

Three figures cloaked in back had congregated in front of the city gates, two masked so that only their eyes were exposed, while the leader, evident by his more stylized outfit, wore a red scarf that covered his mouth and billowed in the wind behind him. His dark hair was spiked up and flecked with green.

"Koga himself has come to greet us," James said, giving an impressed whistle. "But I'd be wary. If there's three ninjas you can see, there's more than likely about a dozen you can't. How do you want to go about this?"

"How else?" Green said, nudging James playfully. "We go say hello."

* * *

After she had been elected as the squadron leader of her branch of Rockets by Sabrina, Green had spent the ensuing time judging the men and women she now presided over, determining which of those she could count on as her advisors and potential commanders.

Charles was a natural, loved and respected by his gang. Despite his brutish appearance, he was surprisingly adept with strategy as well, explaining at length certain motorcycle formations he had run in the Heartbreakers' many skirmishes, from pincher movements to leapfrogging to traps that could cage even the slipperiest of eels. It didn't hurt that he was tall and imposing. He had powerful arms and shoulders bigger than Green's head, so he was the first guy she'd want by her side if she'd got into a fight He was a handsome guy too, so Green liked having him around.

Jessie and James had neither Charles' charisma, intelligence, or build, and they weren't exactly the most inspiring people around, but each had their own assets. Jessie was a legacy in Rocket and thus had a lot of background knowledge and secondhand experience to offer. James was rich, and he had been raised on learning the arts, including sowing, painting, and he had a lovely soprano voice. He knew several languages, he could play quite a few instruments, and his softer disposition made him likable to his subordinates. Green could see why the duo had been effective. James was the charming, empathetic social figure and Jessie provided force and intimidation when James floundered or was taken advantage of.

Ross too, was someone Green liked to keep near her, as her de facto voice of reason. He had tried to tell her he was nothing special, but his remarks and wise-cracks spoke of a quiet wisdom that she knew she needed.

Together, the five of them walked out to meet Koga, hands on their Poke-balls strapped to their belts and the guns that Charles had kindly provided them.

The rest of the men stood back to watch the show, ready to move in case things went south. Green had come up with a potential escape plan, but she really didn't want it to come to that.

Ignoring the instinct to run away from the scary men with sharp blades, she marched right up to Koga, holding out for his hand to shake. "You must be Master Koga, patriarch of the Order of Ho-Oh. It's nice to meet you."

The lines on Koga's face told her that he was middle-aged, his hair beginning to gray on the edges. His cold eyes didn't lower from hers as he slowly and carefully pulled his red scarf down to free his mouth.

"Sabrina's told me about you, Green of Pallet," His accent was definitely Johtian, and his voice was a bit hoarse, as though he weren't used to using it. "She claims your recruitment was the one benefit from the Mt. Moon fiasco."

Green batted her eyes at that. "Well, that's nice of her. And what do you think of me, Master Koga?"

"I think you are a child," Koga said, his tone sharp as the blade in his hand. "A child with uses, but a naive one with far more power than she can handle. The proof of it stands before me; you have brought Kanto's Heartbreakers to my city."

"I only desire for our respective groups to form an alliance," Green said, keeping her annoyance at his dismissal of her in check. "For too long our region has been in stagnance, neither side able to hurt the other. I'd like to turn the tides."

"You insult us by putting us in the same league," Koga said, and his lips curled into a sneer. "We of Ho-Oh's Order are disciplined warriors who act in the name of our god. We are not common thugs, nor do we employ them as you do."

"Yet you're willing to work with Rocket?"

"The mastermind behind Rocket Industries is a personal friend of mine, and he's dedicated his entire life to the best interest of the region. I won't say I admire his lackeys." Koga's cold eyes rested on Jessie and James, who seemed almost as afraid of him as they had Sabrina. "But I'm willing to tolerate them for the greater good."

"Yeah, that's fair," Charles said, spitting on the ground. "Me and my boys ain't never even heard of the clone until today, and now that we're on board we're being judged for secrets that you Johtians kept from us?"

One of Koga's bushy eyebrows rose. "As if you don't merely serve your own self interest."

"That's it," Charles growled, whipping out the gun in his pocket. "I've had it with you jumped-up Johtian cultists-"

Green hadn't even seen Koga move, but in the next moment Charles was howling in pain, dropping his gun and grasping his wrist, which now had a dagger lodged into it.

"The next knife will carry the venom of an Arbok," Koga said to Green. "I suggest you tether your dog before it's put down."

Green winced at the spurt of blood as Charles finally managed to pry the knife free. "Stand down, Chuck. And maybe next time don't draw on the people we're trying to partner up with."

"I'll get him bandaged," Ross piped up, leading Charles back towards the bikes. Green nodded her assent and looked back to Koga, who was eyeing her appraisingly.

"Listen, I know actions might speak louder than words, considering he just tried to pull a gun on you," Green admitted. "But these guys aren't bad. They heard about the clone and they want to help take it down. Besides, I'm under orders to play decoy for your boss. What could possibly be a better smokescreen than Kanto's infamous Heartbreakers?"

"And in return you offer them a place in my city," Koga said. "A city we've kept clean since its founding, about to be fraught with criminals."

"I'll keep them on the straight and narrow," Green promised. "Like I said, they're not bad. The war put them in a rough spot."

"And I should put so much faith in a teenage girl to do so," Koga drawled.

"Well, everyone else in this damned region seems to be doing that already," Green said, letting some of her hidden bitterness creep into her voice. "Give me some credit, though. A few days on the road and I already have all these people willing to follow me."

Koga seemed to come to some kind of decision at that, and he leaned over to to the ninja on his left. "Move her men into the city. Make sure they are comfortable, but don't alarm the citizens. If any of them act up, feel free to make an example of one of them. Green, with me."

"Jessie, James, make sure everyone's on their best behavior," Green said. "Tell them it was a direct order from me if they get bitchy."

"Yes ma'am!" they said in unison, hurrying after the ninjas.

Koga had already started off past the city gates, and Green had to jog a bit to catch up with him. At her approach, he turned.. "I do understand why Sabrina's taken such an interest in you. And I know you're the kind of person the boss finds ideal to lead Kanto to freedom."

"Speaking of, can I please know who this guy is?" Green asked. "Everyone hiding his identity doesn't exactly inspire loyalty."

Koga snorted. "Don't push it. For now I'll allow your new friends in our city, if only because you have friends in high places who would make me do so anyway. And I suppose I can admit your reasoning isn't entirely invalid."

"Warming up to me, eh?" Green said. "Willing to work with a mere child?"

For once Koga smiled, and it wasn't exactly a friendly one. "Oh, trust me, Green. With the plans I have for you, I'm not worried that your childlike innocence will last."

* * *

Apparently, Koga's definition of growing up was getting one's ass kicked by his teenage daughter.

After leading Green to what he claimed was the training dojo, he introduced her to Janine, a recently graduated ninja with somehow an even scarier grin than her old man's. Janine was a bit younger than Green, maybe sixteen, but that didn't stop her from kicking ass every time they faced each other on the mat.

"Wow," Janine said, as she twisted Green's arm behind her back and forced her down on her knees. "You've got a surprising amount of muscle here. You work out too?"

"Well," Green said through gritted teeth, blinking tears out of her eyes as she tried in vain to break free. "I was the best spiker on my local volleyball team."

Janine snorted as she swept Green's feet out from under her, and the older girl hit the mat hard with a yelp. "You played volleyball?"

"Yeah, we were the Pallet Town Palettes," Green said, propping herself up on a shoulder. "We were pretty good too! Beat the Viridian City Virgins every time we played them."

Janine had a really nice laugh, pretty to listen to compared to the dusty wheezing chuckles of the big burly men she had grown accustomed to,, and especially to Jessie's raucous cackles. "Were they really called the Viridian Virgins?"

"Well, that's what we called them, anyway."

Their shared laughter was interrupted when Janine nudged Green and pointed to her father. Koga was upside down, hanging off one of the rafters like a menacing bat. "He's gonna get mad if we don't get back to it. You're supposed to actually know what you're doing in a fight before your big mission."

"I have a mission, do I?" Green said, resigning herself to another match and falling back into the same stance Janine was in, obviously a little more stiff than the girl who had trained whole life. "Upper management's been pretty hush hush about it."

"I think dad will disclose all the details," Janine said, sprinting forward to meet her. "But in the meantime, see if you can hold me off for more than a few seconds!"

Green technically wasn't a stranger to hand-to-hand. Yellow had often sparred with her and taught her a few self defense techniques, but it wasn't like Green had ever come close to beating her either. Janine didn't have Yellow's lightning quick reflexes, nor her uncanny sixth sense when it came to predicting Green's punches, but she clearly knew the human body well. When she wasn't attacking pressure points that turned Green's legs to jelly, she was her legs around her in vicious scissor locks and throwing Green to ground.

Finally, after being judo flipped and having her face slammed against the mat, Green raised the white flag of surrender. "Okay, Koga, I need a break!"

His scarf dancing in the air behind him, Koga dropped from the rafters, flipping himself up in the air so he landed on his feet in a crouch.

Green rolled her eyes. "God, you are such a drama queen."

"Disappointing progress, but I suppose exhausting your body won't do any favors," Koga muttered. "Get some rest. Official ninja boot camp will begin at the crack of dawn tomorrow."

"Hold on, I want to at least know what I'm getting into with this mission," Green said. "There's a lot I'm willing to put up with, but I'm not following the boss's wishes completely blind."

"Very well," Koga said. "Your targets are in Lavender Town and Cerulean City."

"Pardon?"

"Philip Fuji, I'm sure you've heard of him?" Koga said. "And the inventor of the PC system, Bill Sonezaki. Both are men the boss wants captured, and both have managed to remain free because he's not willing to compromise himself or Rocket. Nor the ninjas. No one that could reveal some kind of grand plan."

"I see," Green said. "If the Heartbreakers and I kidnap them, it'll just look like it was the doing of common thugs looking for a ransom. The boss gets to have his cake and eat it too."

"Precisely," Koga said. "Both are in the presence of powerful trainers. Fuji himself is quite the competent battler, and Misty is a personal friend of Sonezaki's. Your old friends, Red, and Blue Oak, are prowling about, willing to meddle in your affairs. And if you take too long, if the battle becomes pitched…"

There was a waver in his voice. "The Elite Four will be authorized to exercise force. The Champion as well. You have no chance of surviving if even a single one of them decided to become involved."

Green felt a chill run down her spine. "So, you need to be sure I'm ready."

"You need training, a plan with many contingencies," Koga said. "And you need my trust. I myself cannot help you, for my ninjas and I must not be compromised. You'll need to accomplish all of this on your own, and if you and your men fail there will be no second chances. We'll have your minds wiped if you're captured, in order to keep our key players uncompromised."

"And, uh, how much time do I have to prepare?" Green said.

"A week or two," Koga said, shrugging.

. "How...How could I possibly—?"

"You have some degree of competence," Koga said, though it seemed like a painful thing for him to admit. "It just needs to be refined. I don't expect you to be a full fledged ninja by the time of the attack, and you'll have our counsel, but yes, it's a demanding task."

"Yeah, no shit," Green said, flopping back down on the mat. "I'm going to have to work my Pokemon training into high gear...figure out how to get my boys to play well together…"

"Get some rest," Koga said. "Allow yourself time to process your goal and keep in mind the tools you have at your disposal."

With that, he threw down some object, vanishing in an explosion of smoke. Both Janine and Green coughed loudly as they were submerged by it for a moment.

"God, does he do that all the time?" Green wheezed.

"Oh yeah," Janine said, keeling over and retching. "He's done it in the kitchen before. The smoke alarm was screaming for weeks."

* * *

Green had been given a nice little apartment to stay in, modest but comfortable. She hadn't taken much time to appreciate the minimalist architecture, though, for she was asleep the second she collapsed onto her twin bed.

Her Pokemon—Gerald the Nidorino, Luna the Clefairy, Envy the Jigglypuff, and Carmello the Voltorb, were a bit more awake. In fact, with the exception of Carmello, who was sitting by himself out on the terrace, they were quite heated.

"Why not?!" Gerald said, straining against Luna and Envy's grip. "I'm already the strongest in the team, think of how powerful I'll be when I evolve!"

He was trying to get at the moon stone that Green had left on her bedside table.

"There's a reason Green hasn't evolved any of us, yet!" Luna protested, doing her best to pin down one of the Nidorino's armored legs. "We should respect her decision and let her choose whether or not she's going to use it. She's the trainer!"

"Besides!" Envy shouted. "All three of us evolve by touching the moon stone! Why should you get it?"

"Okay, Envy?" Luna said. "That's really not the issue in question we should be discussing—"

"Because I'm stronger than you two!" Gerald snapped. "What idiot would pick a Wigglytuff over a Nidoking?"

"Oh yeah?" Envy shrieked. "How's this for a weaker Pokemon then, huh?"

"Oh no," Luna said, as the Jigglpuff began to sing a sweet tune. She made to cover her ears, but was fast asleep a moment later all the same. Gerald broke free and managed two steps towards the moon stone before he collapsed, snoring before he even hit the floor.

"There!" Envy said, skipping past Gerald and slapping his butt for good measure. "Who's the bottom bitch now!"

She hopped up onto the table, considering for a moment whether she should touch the stone.

Then she looked over at Green who was mumbling in her sleep.

It was mostly gibberish, but Envy caught the name _Miguel _in the mix.

On instinct she looked outside, where Carmello was sitting by himself. He hadn't talked much at all since he'd joined them. She looked back at the moon stone, the one thing besides the Voltorb that Miguel had left Green.

Sighing a little at her obnoxiously strong empathy, Envy dropped down from the table and moved quietly passed her sleeping friends, opening the door out to the terrace to sit next to Carmello.

"Sorry for all the noise earlier," Envy said softly. "You doing okay?"

"Hello, Envy," Carmello said, his eyes doing his own version of a smile. His voice was a synthetic humm, though he never quite felt like a robot to the Jigglypuff. "And, I'll admit, I feel a bit hollow. Not so much mournful."

"Are you, well, do you think you're ready to move on?" Envy asked.

"Well, that's the predicament," Carmello said. "I'm afraid I'm not so sure what I'd be moving on to. Miguel was my trainer, my reason for living. My life was spent in his service. His dreams were my dreams."

"But, he isn't dead, not really," Envy said. "His dreams live on. The girl he sacrificed his life for lives on. Miguel gave you to Green so you could help her."

"I like Green," Carmello said, after a moment. "She's ambitious, and she treats me well. Her heart's in the right place."

He closed his eyes. "But she isn't Miguel. It feels as though my purpose has been replaced with a lesser version of it. I wanted to fulfill my trainer's purpose because I loved him, not because I shared his ideals."

"Maybe you should get some sleep, man?" Envy said. "I can help with it, with my singing. If you want?"

"Honestly, I could use it," Carmello said. "I haven't slept in a long time, now. Not since his death."

Usually her little melodies were basic, as her primary use of the move was a weapon to make her enemies collapse, but for Carmello she allowed it to be a performance; her song was sorrowful but peaceful, a little sad, but not poignant. A wound that was trying to heal.

Soon, Carmello's eyes closed and he grew still.

"Dream of electric sheep, buddy," Envy said, patting him on the head and making her way back to her sleeping friends.

When he heard her snoring mingling in with the rest of the team's, Carmello's eyes opened again.

It was kind of Envy to want to ease his pain like that. He appreciated it a lot.

But, unfortunately, his ability was soundproof.


	35. Lieutenant Surge

"Uh, Red?" Kenny asked. "Why are you soaking wet?"

"Oh, just jumped off a boat this morning," Red said, his smile as bright as the rising sun. "Let's go kick Lieutenant Surge's ass, shall we?"

Leaving puddles behind him, Red skipped off down the docks and towards the Vermilion City Gym. He wondered vaguely why his nerves weren't acting up the way they had when he had challenged Brock and Misty.

"Got your team set?" Kenny said. "Did you pick up a Diglett like we discussed?"

"Nah," Red admitted. "I kinda kept forgetting and now they stay clear when we visit Diglett's cave. Beat up too many of their friends, I guess.

"But don't worry, Ken," Red said, slapping him on the shoulder. "I have a secret weapon."

Kenny chuckled. "Knowing you, it's either going to be horrifying or silly and ineffective, isn't it?"

"You've gotten to know me so well," Red said, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye.

Sitting on a bench beside the gym doors was Blue, who winked at Red and Kenny as they approached. "Took you long enough. I was worried you were gonna pussy out."

"I never pussy out!" Red said, outraged. "Take that back!"

"All right, all right," Blue groaned, rising and stretching out. "It's way too early to listen to your screeching."

* * *

"Brock's gym was designed to be like the interior of a cave," Red said. "And Misty's had an Olympic sized swimming pool. Yours is kind of...underwhelming in comparison."

Indeed, Santiago Surge's gym was a lot more understated than one would expect from such a colorful character. The walls were bare, the ground was cold marble, and the battle arena itself was a basic Pokemon battlefield, one without gimmicks.

It was livened up by the screaming fans in the stands, no doubt the most people Red had ever seen come to watch his gym battles, but he couldn't help but feel a little underwhelmed.

Surge grinned that confident grin of his. He had foregone his decorated jacket for a moss green tank top, leaving his muscular arms exposed. "I prefer a more minimalist approach. A Pokemon battle at its most pure."

"I can get behind that," Red said, unclipping a Poke-ball from his belt. "Let's cut the chatter than, shall we?"

"I like your attitude!" Surge said. "All right, kid, you can use up to six Pokemon in this fight, while I'll only be using one. Be wary though."

He held up an Ultra Ball. "This one's the best I've got."

Clearing his throat, he continued. "The battle will end when a trainer surrenders or their Pokemon are unable to battle. Remember the danger and stakes of our match. By placing them on the battlefield you're putting them at risk, and that goes for me as well. Knowing that, are you ready?"

It was the speech that every gym leader Red had fought had given him so far, and like every other time he took a moment to consider whether he would be able to handle it if a Pokemon were seriously hurt.

Red finally smiled. It just meant he couldn't lose. It was as simple as that.

"I'm ready. Let's get going."

"So, I got a question," Drax said. He and Rocket were sitting on the railing of the stands, and the Squirtle was leaning over the edge, listening to the exchange between Surge and his own trainer. "If Red's allowed to use six Pokemon, why are we up here?"

Biting back a retort about being Drax's babysitter, Rocket pointed at the Pokemon Surge released from his Ultra Ball—a Raichu. "There's no way I can fight that thing, and you haven't trained at all, yet. So Red just wants us to watch this one, to see what we can learn from the battle."

They watched Red throw his own Poke-ball, releasing Star-Lord, who let out a roar of challenge. In response, Surge's Raichu's cheeks crackled with electricity. The two Pokemon were smirking at each other, fire and electricity swarming around their bodies in intense auras.

* * *

"Hey, dude," Drax snickered. "Think they're gonna fight or kiss? Because that tension's definitely going somewhere."

"Probably both. But as to which happens first—"

"All right, Gilgamesh!" Surge thundered. "Give 'em a thunderbolt!"

"Star, use ember!" Red cried out in response, his order coming out squeaky compared to Surge's smooth, baritone voice.

Lightning and fire finally embraced, sparks crackling and flames lighting up the entire gym. It wasn't long before the Raichu and the Charmeleon were locked in close combat, exchanging blows.

Star-Lord swept out his claws, but Gilgamesh the Raichu sprung back, landing on his tail. His second thunderbolt was so fast it was hard to follow, but somehow Star was able to avoid it, landing in a roll on the arena floor. The lightning struck the ground in front of Red, blowing back his hair and throwing his hat off his head.

To his credit, Red hadn't flinched. "Close the distance and use slash!"

Sprinting forwards with his hands outstretched, Star-Lord lunged for Gilgamesh, a deadly gleam in his eye.

"Block it with mega kick!" Surge ordered. Swinging around his body like a breakdancer, Gilgamesh's powerful kick flew up, forcing Star to block the move with the arm he had been attempting to slash with. "Mega punch!"

His long, wiry tail wrapping around Star's arm like a rope, the Raichu jerked him forward, right into his right hook. Blood splattered out from the Charmeleon's nostrils.

The move clearly would have been enough to break most Pokemon, but Star-Lord was not most Pokemon. Swinging his tail horizontally, the flame at the end of it released a wave of fire that forced Gilgamesh to abandon his offensive and roll away, unwrapping his tail from around Star's arm in the process.

It was the Charmeleon's turn to spring away, and though he was clutching his bloody snout, the rage and resolve in his eyes was undeniable. Wiping his snout clean, he crouched down, the flame on the end his tail burning ever hotter.

Rocket couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy when he watched the Raichu and the Charmeleon meet again in another violent dance, Star-Lord ducking under Gilgamesh's swinging tail, before leaping up and striking out with his claws. Finally, Star found purchase, a claw digging deep into Gilgamesh's shoulder.

Blood dribbled down into Gilgamesh's fur, but like Star before him, he wasn't fazed for long. Once again, their spar gave way to a chase as the Charmeleon was forced to fall back, narrowly avoiding another screaming thunderbolt.

Much of the knowledge Rocket had amassed in his lifetime was the result of his years travelling around the region of Kanto, learning from the local Pokemon, sneaking into people's homes to watch their television, etc. In contrast, his upbringing in Viridian Forest had been, for the most part, isolated. Folks in Viridian didn't care much about the world outside the wood, preferring to keep their problems practical. What you knew was typically what was relevant.

But not even Viridian Forest was spared from the stories of Lieutenant Surge's legendary Raichu, and Rocket had grown up hearing about his exploits. How he was a veteran from the Indigo War, and how he had saved his trainer's life countless times. It was claimed by many that Gilgamesh was the most powerful electric type in the region.

And yet here Star-Lord stood, matching him blow for blow.

It wasn't just the Charmeleon either. Rocket had noticed long before now that the rest of the team was beginning to outclass him. Jackie no longer had much trouble kicking his ass now, and even Groot was getting good at predicting his movements when they sparred. Rocket was a Pikachu, a Pokemon who evolved from reaching a state of happiness, not combat. It had long since begun to show.

"That Raichu sure is something, isn't he?" Drax said, as Gilgamesh's tail slammed into Star-Lord with enough force to send him spinning, smoke flying from his nostrils. "You're gonna be that tough when you evolve too, eh?"

"There's no way I have that thing's potential," Rocket muttered. "And, I don't know. I don't think I ever want to be a Raichu."

"Why not?" Drax asked, tearing his eyes away from the fight. "Scared people won't think you're as cute and cuddly?"

Despite himself, Rocket managed to force a grin. "One of many reasons, Drax. One of many."

* * *

Red fingered Groot's Poke-ball, debating on switching him in or not. Star wasn't exactly losing, but though the Charmeleon was trying to hide it, it was clear from his breathing pattern that he was exhausted.

Still, the fact that Gilgamesh looked just as worn was a comfort. Sweat was raining from his face, and though static electricity still emitted from his cheeks, there was a definite droop in his posture.

Red checked Surge's expression, to see if he was concerned, but the Lieutenant had one hell of a poker face. It didn't help that he was wearing sunglasses, which, coupled with his permanent grin, gave him the look of utmost confidence. It was like trying to outlast marble.

"Star, are you still okay to stay in?" Red asked, painfully aware of the fear in his voice. "You've taken a lot of damage, so it might be risky."

Star-Lord bowed his head, tucking his tail in between his legs. The defeated Charmeleon stumbled back to Red, relieved that he had survived the fight.

Just kidding.

Lifting his head up to the sky, Star let loose a powerful pillar of flame, the motif of his defiance. A reptilian eye flashed back to Red, as if daring his trainer to switch him out.

Star's confidence was infectious. Red grinned. "Then let's give ol' Surge a taste of our secret weapon. Use dig!"

"Wait, dig?" Surge's grin was finally replaced with a grimace, which unfortunately only gave Red a feeling of pride for about half a second, when the Lieutenant shouted, "Use quick attack!"

It was like Gilgamesh hadn't even moved. Yet, inexplicably, Star was on the floor with the Raichu on top of him, raising his hands over his face to guard from the raining blows. Each punch was outlined with electricity, and soon Star had dropped his guard, shouting from the pain of the static shocks.

"Crap!" Red cried. "Star, return—"

Star-Lord screamed. It wasn't his typical roar of challenge or threatening snarl. It was a howl of pure desperation, of defiance, of pain, of wrath, all mixed in with the cacophony of emotions that silenced the jeering crowd. The scream halted Red in his tracks, and even Surge had flinched.

Gilgamesh hadn't been silenced or slowed. But he didn't need to.

A blur of crimson, Star-Lord smashed his head against the Gilgamesh's, so brutally that no one was sure which Pokemon's skull the resounding crack came from. Gilgamesh howled in pain, stumbling backwards and clutching his head, while Star-Lord burrowed into the ground like a Sandshrew.

"Shock wave!" Surge ordered in a desperate attempt to rally, to instill some sense of security in his now thoroughly bemused and frightened Raichu, as the light at the end Star's tail vanished into the hole he had made. "The moment you see any activity in the ground, use shock wave."

But Gilgamesh didn't recover fast enough. And after an explosion in the flooring and a swift punch to the solar plexus, he was downed, pinned to the ground by Star-Lord's foot. The Charmeleon's jaws were about half an inch away from Gilgamesh's throat when the Raichu vanished into the light of the Ultra Ball.

"That's it then," Surge said, clipping his ball back in his pocket. "The victory is yours, Red."

Red didn't exactly jump for joy at that, still in shock at his Charmeleon's intensity, but the rest of the gym was excited enough for him. In fact, it was a wonder the roof wasn't blown off.

* * *

"Thanks for doing business with me, boys," Blue said, in that consciously, annoyingly, superior way of his, as he accepted prize money from what seemed like most of the people at the gym. An annoyed sore loser threw his water bottle at him, to which Blue swept his head to the side to dodge. "Nice throw, Maurice. I'm sure you'll actually manage to hit me next time."

Kenny watched Blue's shit-eating grin and his fellow gamblers stalk off with a mixture of amusement and confusion. "Why are you the one getting money? Red won, didn't he?"

Blue gave Kenny a conspiratorial wink. "Never said I bet against him, did I? Only, don't tell Red, all right? We have to keep him humble."

The gym doors opened, a rather windswept looking Red stepped out with Surge. Rocket, who had been sitting on Kenny's shoulder, leaped off to scramble back onto his trainer's.

"I um...I don't think I've ever gotten that much positive reinforcement in my life," Red said, in a far-off sort of voice. "Or had that many people wanting to talk to me. I think I need a minute."

"Hey, you beat the legendary Lieutenant Surge," Surge guffawed, slapping Red on the back, which probably only served to overwhelm him further, as well as nearly send Rocket flying. "You're in the big leagues now."

"Not bad, old pal," Blue said quietly, and the subdued compliment brought Red back to earth. "You're a gym ahead of me now, aren't you?"

"It's time for our battle," Red said, and Blue rolled his eyes. It never took long for Red to find himself again. "No more stalling."

"When we get to Lavender," Blue said, impatient at his friend's impatience. "Or more specifically, when I get to Lavender. I'm going to challenge Misty's gym when we reach Cerulean again, so I'll be a day or two behind you."

"Seriously?" Red whined. "Why do we have to keep putting this back?"

"Actually, it's probably a good opportunity, champ," Kenny said. "We've all been pretty nonstop lately, what with, well…" He hesitated at Blue's glare.

"Well, you know. What we've been dealing with," Kenny said, clearing his throat. "You have a lot ahead of you in Celadon. Even besides your, uh, meeting, the gyms get particularly tough starting with Erika's. Taking a bit of time to train your Pokemon at Lavender would be a good idea."

"Fine, fine," Red said. "But if that's the case, we're leaving tomorrow. There's something important my team and I have to do tonight."

Red had become very somber. Kenny and Blue exchanged a glance.

"And that is?"

"We have _Guardians of The Galaxy_ recorded back at our room at the Pokemon Center," Red said. "Finally, my team will learn the complex lore behind their namesakes."

"You really are something, Red," Kenny said.

"Yeah, something that should be committed," Blue drawled.

But Red was already gone, screaming for popcorn like a lunatic. He found that running around like a maniac was a great way to delay uncomfortable conversations, and the one he'd have to have with Star-Lord was going to be particularly nasty.

* * *

Omg, this story just hit fifteen followers and favorites! Thanks so much, guys! maycontestdrew hit thirty, and I will not accept second place. Dear readers, I implore you to follow and favorite. We can beat maycontestdrew yet!


	36. Episode IV: How Red Saved Christmas

Okay, first off, to my partner in crime, maycontestdrew: Dude, you can't copyright 'Dear Readers'. It was not a original idea. I'm not copying your narrator, can you get over yourself, please?

Now, masters and squires, readers and writers, friends and foes, I introduce you to my lovely little Christmas special. Consider it a present to you lovely consumers of my writing. I'd assume you'd guessed by now, but all of this strictly not to be taken seriously. Hopefully this one stupid, goofy Christmas special doesn't break the immersion of a world I've been trying to build for over a year now, but fuck it. It's Christmas. Let me have some fun!

One last thing, this does contain spoilers for the previously mentioned maycontestdrew's Diamond Nuzlocke story: _The Iron Knight. _Brief but very potent spoilers. If you're not caught up on her story, or haven't checked it out at all, I strongly advise to do so first before reading this special. In fact, if you haven't checked out or finished reading Iron Knight, what the fuck are you doing?! Go check it out! It's way better than this fourth wall breaking garbage. Seriously, click off this story and go search it out now. It's phenomenal. Do it. dO iTTT.

Well, with all that out of the way, let's begin shall we?

* * *

_A long time ago in a region far, far away..._

'_Twas the night before Christmas, whatever Pokemon's version of it was called,_

_A time where our story's conflicts are briefly stalled;_

_As the snow sprinkles down from the sky to coat the roof,_

_Red can be found celebrating, in this cute little spoof._

Pokemon Centers, typically finding itself with an abundance of exhausted trainers looking for a place to rest, or else eager to heal their injured Pokemon after grueling battles, were empty at this time of year. Christmas—sorry, Pokemas, was a time for families and friends to spend together in their homes. The Nurse Joys were stuck there, unfortunately for them, and many had long, empty halls and cafeteria food to look forward to during the Pokemas season.

The Nurse Joy of Vermilion City, however, had a boy in red to spend time with. For better or for worse.

Red and his team spent Pokemas Eve livening up the empty Pokemon Center, decorating the walls with lights and dragging in a massive evergreen through the front doors, though in retrospect it probably hadn't been a good idea for Star-Lord to carry it, as his tail had accidentally set the tree on fire twice. Thankfully Drax had been there to put it out, but the tree was still singed, and it now carried an odd burnt smell.

Mariah Carey and Dean Martin were taking turns singing classic Christ-Pokemas jingles on the radio, and Red had even forced his team into ugly sweaters he had knitted himself.

Yes, even Lucina.

"I hate this holiday," Lucina growled. "I swear, between wearing this horrible fabric, and spending time with a seasick Krookodile, I'd take the Krookodile."

"Hey, I could have that arranged," Drax said, from where he was lying contentedly on the Pokemon Center's iconic blue couch. "I knew a few Sandile back by the riverbank where I used to live. Maybe we could get a few rare candies and set you up?"

"Deal," Lucina said shortly, trying to struggle out of her sweater. Drax's shit-eating grin widened at her desperate writhing, fruitlessly trying to shimmy out of it.

"Can't pull it off?"

"Shut the fuck up, I don't even have arms," Lucina growled.

"Come on," Red said, skipping over to them. He himself was wearing a white sweater printed with the words: '_I love you'_ on them. "These sweaters are awesome. They all have Star Wars quotes on them. This season was already the most wonderful time of the year, and all the sweet Star Wars content we get just makes it better."

"Wait, what does it say on mine?" Lucina asked, looking down at the print that she couldn't read.

"_I find your lack of faith disturbing," _Red said.

"Oh, fuck the hell yes," Lucina said. "You know what we're doing tonight, Red?"

"Seeing if you can use psychic powers to choke people out like Darth Vader?"

"That's the ticket."

"Okay, Lucina potentially murdering people aside, I think Jackie needs some help." Rocket, for his part was wearing a Santa Hat that he rather enjoyed, cutting out holes for his ears to poke out. His sweater had Obi Wan's classic quote: "_If You Strike Me Down, I Shall Become More Powerful Than You Can Possibly Imagine."_

Jackie had made a valiant effort in trying to decorate the Christmas tree by herself. Unfortunately, she had gotten tangled in the lights and was now wrapped around the trunk, straining to get free.

"You know," Star-Lord said, unable to keep himself from smirking. "Usually you put a star on top, or an angel, or something."

"Okay, ordinarily I appreciate jokes," Jackie said, through a wince of pain. "But right now, I have Evergreen needles poking my butt."

"You want me to set it on fire?" Star-Lord asked, opening his mouth to form a ball of flame.

"Jesus Christ, Star," Rocket said. "Setting things on fire isn't the solution to every problem."

"I don't know," Red said. "I think that's up for debate. Maybe we could vote? Those who believe pyromancy is an acceptable solution to every problem, say—"

"Okay, but I wasn't trying to spark a debate," Rocket said alarmed. "I mean that setting a tree on fire to free Jackie isn't a good idea—-"

"Well, we have a perfect way to test that theory," Star said, the fireball growing larger in his mouth.

"Star, no—"

"Do it, you coward!" Jackie cried. "I can take it!"

"Jackie, no you can't!"

"I made cookies!" Groot said, running into the room from the kitchens, carrying a tray of warm pastries in his vines.

"Open fire!" Jackie called, and Rocket tackled Star just as he released the ball of flame from his mouth. The ember swerved, missing the tree and striking Groot's tray, which promptly erupted into flame.

"My cookies!" Groot cried, as Drax released a stream of water to put out the fire.

"See?" Rocket snapped, rolling off Star-Lord. "I shouldn't even have to explain this, but no, not every problem can be solved by setting things on fire, you fucking psychopath!"

"Actually—" Groot lifted up a cookie with one of his vines and hesitantly took a bite. "They were a little undercooked before. Now they're perfect!"

Star gave Rocket a toothy grin. "I rest my case."

"I really can't stand you," Rocket growled. "You know that?"

* * *

Soon the tree had been decorated properly, the lights cast the room in a red and green glow, and the log in the fireplace had been lit (Star had made sure to tell Rocket with a sweet smile that fire had solved the problem of cold, to which Rocket nearly electrocuted him).

Moving up the big blue couch in front of the hearth, Red's team settled down to listen to their trainer tell the story of Christ-er, Pokemas.

"So, then Delibird was finally able to join the rebellion and take up arms against the evil Grinch empire," Red explained.

"Okay, you know Star Wars and Pokemas are two completely separate things," Rocket said. "It feels like you have them combined in your head."

"Shh," Groot hissed. "I want to know what happened when Darth Grinch hit Obi-Wan Cobalion with his lightsaber? Why did he vanish?"

"Well, now he's the one with the spirit of Christmas," Red said.

"Look, I don't know why people kid themselves with Delibird," Star-Lord grunted. "A Pokemon who flies around in a sleigh pulled by six fanfiction writers, delivering presents? Total bullshit."

"We live in a world with snails hotter than the surface of the sun," Lucina drawled. "Not a lot should be off the table."

"Seriously, you should be more respectful to the legend," Rocket said. "If it weren't for Delibird, the Grinch Empire could have blown up Kanto and all of us with it. Just like Galar."

Groot gave a sad little sigh. "I miss Galar."

"I don't," Rocket said darkly.

"Er, Red," Nurse Joy called. "You might want to come see this."

She was standing outside, holding open one of the Center doors, letting in the cold wind.

Curious, Red and his team followed, marching single file out of the Center doors to the snow caked ground of Vermilion City. Joy pointed to the sky, and Red gasped.

"It's Delibird's sleigh," he whispered.

"Ho, ho, ho!" Delibird called over the roaring snowstorm, steering his fanfiction writers to the ground. "On Plegian Gengar, on DeltaXtreme, on Fuzzboy! On maycontestdrew, on Premasaur, on Vexan!"

To Red's team's shock and delight, the sleigh landed, and Delibird took a short flap off his sleigh, landing in front of them.

"Hello!" Delibird said with a hearty laugh. "Sorry for taking so long, but Fuzzboy kept flaking. What wonderful boys and girls you've been this year! I have presents for all of you—"

"Quick Ball!" Red screamed chucking the object in question hard enough to bowl over the poor bird. He vanished into the ball, and Red sprinted over to claim it.

"What, dude, you can't catch Delibird!" Rocket cried. "It's against the rules!"

Ignoring his Pikachu, Red released Delibird, who gave him an affronted look.

"What the hell, man? That was so rude! I'm putting you on the naughty list."

"I think I'm going to name you Santa," Red noted, looking him over.

"Isn't that a little on the nose," Delibird said scathingly.

"Okay. We'll call you Jesus, then."

Jesus the Delibird snorted. "There's no way the author is going to let me be named—"

Jesus's eyes widened with horror. "You monster."

"Yo, this is awesome," Drax said, looking over the sleigh. "Forget walking, let's just fly around the rest of the region."

"Well, I'm not going to be the one to fly it," Jesus squawked. "I refuse to defer to a teenage boy."

"Aww, good point," Red said. "I guess this thing's useless if no one knows how to fly it."

"Dude, I can totally fly it," Drax said. "I have my flying sleigh license."

Rocket arched a brow. "How could you possibly…"

"I took an online course. Probably illegally."

"Ah, yeah. That makes sense."

"Look, now that you've captured me, and I'm no longer my own Pokemon, you have a responsibility to take!" Jesus the Delibird pleaded. "The Grinch Empire has our Rebel Alliance on the ropes! You have to help me fly up there so we can destroy the Death Starmie before it can destroy more regions!"

"God, who's writing this crap," Rocket mumbled.

"Oh my god, my time has come," Red whispered. "Team, it's time for our most important mission yet."

"Beating Blue?" Jackie asked.

"Fighting Mewtwo, the being that single handedly ended a war by killing almost everybody on both sides?" Groot asked.

"No, sillies," Red said, looking determinedly up at the sky. "We're going to save Christmas."

"Pokemas," Rocket corrected.

"Oh my god, Rocket, who actually gives a fuck?"

* * *

Imperial officers Jessie and James marched down the cold, steel walkway to Darth Grinch's chambers. She was a terrifying, punishing woman when she was displeased, and they had bad news to give.

Before they could see her, they could hear her cold, synthetic breathing. It came out in loud wheezes, and it only grew louder as they approached. In her black armor, she was scarier to them than any Pokemon.

"My lord Grinch," Jessie said, bowing low before Darth Grinch's throne. "Your breathing sounds horrible? Are you feeling well?"

"It's fucking cold this time of year," Green said, into a respirator. "My nose is clogged, so I'm breathing through my mouth. Get me a tissue!"

"Yes, lord Grinch," James said. "But I'm afraid we have news to report first. Delibird managed to escape our forces and reveal our Death Starmie's weakness to the Rebel Alliance. They've emerged to engage us."

"Unfortunate news indeed, but perhaps we can use it to our advantage," Green said. "No doubt the Rebel Alliance will send out everything they have for this chance to destroy what we have built. We can crush it here and now, forever. Order all our troops to attack the moment the rebels come into sight."

"Yes, Lord Grinch," Jessie and James said in tandem, relieved that they had not been punished. They were quick to run from the room.

"I hate Christmas," Green growled as she stepped down from her throne, dropping a hand to the lightsaber on her belt (yes there are lightsabers in this.)

"I hate gingerbread houses. I hate presents and joy. I hate candy and all of the good girls and boys," she snarled in that Grinchy way of hers. "I hate the Whos down in Whoville and all of their songs.

"I hate their whumpets and blumpets and falalalalas. But most of all, I hate—"

"Er, Lord Grinch?" Captain Ross asked, stepping into the room. "Who are you talking to?"

Green yelped. "No one! I was just…."

She coughed. "Whatever! Get on with the attack!"

* * *

The Death Starmie was a giant, floating, mechanical Starmie in space. You get the picture. I'm not wasting time explaining it. Staryu Fighters emerged, soaring in formations to meet the rebel fleet screaming up towards them.

"All wings," Red said, from the biggest sleigh, Drax at the reins and Jesus the Delibird at his side. "Report in."

"Delilah 10, standing by," Jackie said from her own, smaller sleigh.

"Delilah Seven, standing by," Rocket said.

"Delilah Three, standing by," Lucina said.

"Delilah Six, standing by," Star-Lord said.

"Red Two, standing by," said Wedge Antilles, from the cockpit of his X-wing fighter.

"Oh hey, It's Wedge!" Red said, waving to him.

"Who the hell is Wedge?" Star-Lord asked.

"Fake fan," Rocket growled.

"Delilah Five, standing by," Groot cried, and the sleighs flew forward in a 'V' formation, soon finding themselves in the thick of Staryu-Fighters, swerving to avoid the gunfire.

"Activate the rotary guns," Jesus the Delibird ordered, and Drax quickly pressed a button. Two machine guns pulled out from the sides of the sleigh, opening fire on the Staryu Fighters. Drax let out a whoop of joy as one exploded.

"Hey, Jesus? Why would you put guns on the sleigh you fly around in to deliver presents to children?" Red asked, keeping a hand on his hat to keep it from flying away.

"Dude, I have to fly pretty low to the ground," Jesus said. "Meaning there's a lot of birds in the sky I have to avoid crashing into. Usually it's just easier to blow them out of the way."

Red blinked, taking a moment to let that sink in. "That seems fair.'

"Ya!" Drax said, snapping the reins and forcing the Fanfiction writers to swerve down, the sudden drop causing two Staryu Fighters to collide, resulting in an explosion twice as big as the last.

"Damn, Drax, you really are good at this!" Red said.

"I told you man," Drax said, turning to flash a grin at his trainer. "Those online classes were really helpful."

"Wow," Groot said, as Wedge's X-fighter shot ahead, spinning and destroying several of the enemy fighters with ease. "I guess when you're in an actual starship you're pretty competent."

Following his lead, Lucina, Star, and Jackie dove after them, swooping down towards the Death Starmie, laying waste to dozens of the Staryu Fighters that crossed their path and freeing the way for Red's sleigh down to the trenches. Groot and Red made to follow but were stopped in their tracks as a hot air balloon designed to look like a Meowth blocked their way.

"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie said, performing a bizarre pose from inside the hot air balloon's carriage.

"And make it double," James said, in an equally bizarre pose, a rose in his hand for some reason.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of—"

Groot opened fire.

The hot air balloon, now punctured, blew this way and that, Jessie and James screaming as they held on to one another for dear life.

"Groot!" Red shouted.

"What?" Groot protested. "They were standing still! What was I gonna do, wait for them to finish their speech?"

"Red, remember what you need to do," Jesus the Delibird said. "We need to drop my sack of presents within the core of the Death Starmie. When the imperial soldiers realize that they too are loved and can share in the yule tidings, they'll stop trying to destroy Kanto."

"Are you sure?" Red said.

"About 60 percent?"

"Well, shit, I've never been 60 percent sure of anything in my life," Red said, cracking a confident smile. "Let's do this."

* * *

The battle was going poorly, Green had to admit. Red's Delilah squadron had singlehandedly carved a path of destruction all the way to the Death Starmie's trenches and were on a steady course to the Starmie's core. But the tide was going to change.

Because it was time for Darth Grinch to enter the battlefield.

Launching out in her own Staryu fighter, she rested her hand on the triggers of her guns. She watched the rebels in their sleighs (and one in an X-wing) tear through another squadron of Fighters, the core getting closer...

It was time she got her hands dirty.

"Captain Ross," Green said, into the microphone hanging under her chin. "Play my music."

"Yes, ma'am."

As she gained on the sleighs in front of her, an old classic tune began to play, filling her cold, dead heart with warmth.

"_You're a mean one, Mrs. Green."_

She opened fire, blowing apart Star-Lord's sleigh with ease. Lucina and Jackie swerved over to counterattack, in a desperate attempt to hold her off.

"_Your heart's an empty hole."_

Lucina managed steer out of the way of the next line of fire, but Jackie's sleigh was clipped. Shrieking, the Mankey was sent veering to one of the Death Starmie's spinning points, which upon impact snapped the sleigh in two.

"_Your brain is full of spiders—"_

Ignoring Lucina, she locked onto Rocket, her gunfire tearing up his sleigh's seating and hurling him off. Without anyone to guide what remained of his sleigh, it dropped like a stone.

"_You've got garlic in your soul—"_

Groot was the next to fall under Green's might, somersaulting out of control and nearly hitting Red's sleigh, Drax managing to swerve to avoid it at the last second. Groot's sleigh smashed into the side of the trench, once again lighting the dark sky up in a plume of flames.

"_Mrs. Gre—"_

Green suddenly gasped as some force closed around her neck. A hand clawing at her throat, she turned to her left, where Lucina was miming a choking motion.

"Ha, I knew this would work!" Lucina crowed. "Who's the queen Darth Vader bitch now, honey?"

Her eyes rolling up in her head, Green managed to summon up what remained of her strength to stomp down on the triggers with her foot, sending pulsing blasts of energy towards Lucina's sleigh.

With an "Awww shit- ", the Butterfree was blown to smithereens.

* * *

"Hey, uh," Red said, looking back at the chaos behind them. "Is my team going to be okay?"

"Oh yeah," Jesus Delibird said, not looking up from his phone. "Lucina just has a sprained wrist."

The sleigh suddenly rocked as laser fire slammed into it, Darth Grinch cackling from her Staryu Fighter.

"Crap!" Red cried, nearly losing his balance. "Drax, hold it together!"

"Hey, man, I'm trying, but it's hard to steer with only four Fanfiction writers!" Drax said. "DeltaXtreme and Plegian Gengar are fucking dead!"

"I'm hit!" Wedge cried, as his X-Wing's hydraulic lines took damage from the Grinch's next assault. "I can't stay with you!"

"Get clear, Wedge!" Red shouted. "You can't do anymore good back there!"

"Sorry!"

"I have you now," Green said, aiming at the now lone sleigh. Red and Jesus the Delibird both looked back in horror as she took aim, her fingers resting on the triggers-

And then a beam of energy slammed into her Staryu Fighter, sending it careening away. A Doduo was flying among them now, squawking and shooting lasers from its twin beaks, destroying the enemy fighters that had once had Red's sleigh surrounded.

"YEE-HOOOO!" Yellow whooped from the Doduo's back, steering Edward and Alphonse through the air and directing their attacks.

"Yellow?!" Red cried.

"Doduos can fly?!" Jesus the Delibird cried.

"Doduos can shoot lasers?!" Drax shouted.

"You're all clear, kid!" Yellow said, giving Red a confident grin. "Now let's blow this thing and go home!"

Grabbing the bag of presents, Red swung it over his shoulder with all his might and threw it over the side of the sleigh. It landed perfectly into the small opening that lead to the Death Starmie's core.

* * *

When the bag of presents landed, it's said that the imperial officers went through a great change as they gathered before Delibird's gifts. Tearing through the wrapping paper, seeing the presents that told them that they too were wanted... it's said that the heart of the Death Starmie itself grew three sizes that day.

…. It then exploded.

The party that followed was magnificent, one attended by all in this story and more. Even everyone from _The Iron Knight, _though no one could understand a lick of what they were saying, and they smelled like cat pee. Also, literally every character from that story was there, all of them, because the world is happy and good, and no one ever dies in a Christmas special (I miss Bebe :( ). All were given presents, but unfortunately, since Red got to decide who got what, everyone wound up with Star Wars sweaters. It was an awkward moment indeed, when Kenny noticed that his sweater was printed with _'I am your father.'_ There was probably a lot to unpack there.

And yet it was here that the impossible happened. The once sad and lonely Pokemon Center found itself overflowing with Christmas spirit and life, Star-Lord actually shook hands with Rocket, Delia for once had enough to drink, and it was even rumored that Lucina had been caught smiling.

Unfortunately, all parties have to end, and soon the crowd began to thin, people began to say their goodbyes (By the way, not really relevant, but in this special Barry gets cool robot eyes that can see through walls. It was pretty badass. I dunno, you kind of had to be there to appreciate it.) and even Jesus the Delibird had to be off, ready to nap until it was time to begin preparations for the next Christmas. Soon, Red and Yellow were alone, helping Joy clean up the now admittedly messy Pokemon Center.

"Looks like you got me to stick around a little longer, princess," Yellow said, "But I'm gonna have to get back to Cinnabar soon. I'm needed for plot stuff."

"You know, I'm not sure what it is about this Han Solo bit you have going on," Red said. "But holy holly jolly, is it hot."

"You know," Yellow said, giving him a mischievous little grin. "This is technically just a one-shot. The laws of canon don't have to apply. So, if we wanted to make out a little..."

"Really?" Red said nervously. "I don't know, I don't think we're supposed to get together till like, the second half of the story."

"C'mon, the chapter's about to end. We have to give our readers something juicy!"

"Umm," Red said. "Maybe if we had a sign or something. Some big thumbs up from the gods themselves—"

He hesitated when Yellow tapped his shoulder and pointed up. From the balcony above, Groot was dangling a mistletoe above their heads. He was smiling that big dopey smile of his.

"God, Groot," Red said. "I love you."

And as Yellow pounced on him, and as Groot stepped away to give them privacy, his smile grew wider.

"I know."

_And so for now readers, I hope you're content,_

_For a happy ending that's brief but well spent;_

_Though Green is not dead, her lightsaber soon to be lit, _

_Our heroes' rest will have them fighting fit;_

_So, before the conflict continues, before the great fight,_

_Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night._

* * *

So with that, have a very happy holiday, be it a merry Christmas or any other holiday you may celebrate. Hell, if you're not into any of that nonsense then I hope you at least enjoy the day off.

Meanwhile, I'll be drinking my weight in eggnog out of my new Gengar mug and trying to figure out what the hell kind of presents I'm going to get my friends.

The next 'real' chapter will be out soon, but for now, happy holidays!


	37. What Makes You Happy

"So, this is _Guardians Of The Galaxy_?" Groot said, settling down on Red's hotel bed, a tub of popcorn wrapped up in his vines. "It's so exciting to see the origins of the names our illustrious trainer picked out for us."

Red, who was lying next to him, raised an eyebrow. "Laying it kinda thick, aren't you?"

"Oh, am I doing it wrong? I learned that if you inject constant positivity into someone faking confidence you can trick them into believing its real."

"Groot, you're no longer my favorite."

"I'm your favorite?!" Groot said, wagging his butt as though he had a tail.

"Well, uh you were, but…" Red looked down at the Ivysaur's hopeful face. "Oh, forget it."

"Hey, will you guys can it?" Star snapped. He and Lucina had a system in place, whereupon she floated kernels in the air above his flaming tail to pop them. "We're trying to watch."

And so, as Chris Pratt did his iconic, goofy dance, Red's team settled in. Or at least, most of them. Being the resident psychic, it was Lucina's job to pass around the popcorn, which she did, though it wasn't without a lot of grumbling.

Unfortunately, as it turns out, Pokemon bladders are not very big, and Red had to pause quite a few times for bathroom breaks. Annoyed that he was that he couldn't watch his favorite movie uninterrupted, it finally gave him the opportunity to talk to Star-Lord (the Charmeleon) about his performance in the gym battle against Surge a few hours before.

"Is it alright if we go for a quick walk?" Red asked, conscious that his palms were getting a little sweaty at the thought of giving a lecture. "I was hoping to discuss something with you."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Star said, evidently not having caught on to the potential issue. That made things a little awkward, as they roamed the Pokemon Center hallway.

"We don't talk a lot," Red finally said, when the silence became unbearable.

"We don't need to converse to have a strong dynamic," Star snorted. He gave his trainer a toothy grin. "You give orders, I demolish our enemies. We have a good thing going."

"Well, okay, but herein lies the issue," Red said. "Can you not 'demolish'? Can't you go with a different, slightly less extreme metaphor? Like 'kick ass', or 'beat down'?"

"I don't follow."

"I'm saying that you're getting too vicious in these fights," Red snapped. "You nearly killed Surge's Raichu, you hurt Blue's Raticate pretty badly, and Yellow told me about the Dugtrio."

"Hey." The flame at the end of Star-Lord's tail grew more intense. "That Dugtrio would've killed her if I hadn't finished it off. And it's not like I even killed either of those other two Pokemon."

"It's not about the specific examples, it's about your berserker mindset! It's inevitable that you're really going to hurt someone if you don't hold yourself back. Hell, when you get like this you start ignoring orders."

"Oh, not this again! We're Pokemon, and Pokemon fight. Aggressively, and lethally when we need to. You realize I'm not far off from most Pokemon, right? Even the rest of our team would–"

"I'm not worried that the rest of the team will ignore my orders!" Red considered what he'd said for a moment. "Er...except maybe Jackie. But she does her best to control her anger."

"Look, I'll try to be better about following your commands." Star looked down, a bit embarrassedly. "I get that understanding the flow of battle is your job. But you need to grow up."

"Excuse me?"

"You want to have your cake and eat it too," Star explained. "You claim you want to be the best, but if you're not willing to make sacrifices for the win, if you can't stomach the death that will inevitably come…you're not fit to lead."

Star-Lord's claws scraped against one another, and he stepped right up to his trainer. His tail slithered around Red's shoulder, and Red shuddered as the flame at the tip kissed his cheek.

"An incompetent leader can be replaced, Red." Star-Lord grinned again, showing all of his sharp teeth.

Swishing his tail behind him, Star brushed past Red, heading back to where they had come from. "Think about what I said, boss. I wanna get back to the movie."

Leaving Red standing awkwardly by himself.

* * *

The Drunken Horsea, ordinarily the most popular bar in Vermilion, wasn't very crowded tonight, which was fortunate, as Kenny had a lot to say to his drinking pals. Flint had taken a while to be convinced, too embarrassed at being seen in public by his fellow veterans, but finally relented when Kenny offered him a change of clothes and an endless supply of his brewed coffee to get him through the night.

When they arrived, Kenny swaggering in as if he owned the place and Flint timidly following behind them, it was to a round of muted yet enthusiastic applause. The Drunken Horsea's usual customers were Instinct Corps veterans, after all. Surge himself was gesturing for them to sit down at the seats he had apparently saved for them.

"Kenny, I'll assume you want the usual?" The bartender was a tall, sullen man a little older than Surge. Once quite the handsome man, his attractive features were now quite difficult to find behind the myriad of scars across to face. "Er, and Flint. It's good to see you again. What can I get you?"

Flint didn't meet the bartender's eye, but Kenny was friendly enough for the both of them. "Brought our own drinks for tonight, Randy. Hope you don't mind."

The bartender scowled. "You're lucky I like you, or I'd have the both of you thrown out."

"Yeah, yeah," Kenny said, chuckling as he pulled out his coffee pot from the large backpack he had dropped to the floor. "How do you like it, Randy?"

"Black," the bartender said, stepping away to serve the ones who were actually giving him money. "Sugar gives me a headache."

"Good old Randy," Surge said, shaking his head in an amused sort of way. "Grumpy old sod never changes."

"It's good to finally catch up with you, Lieutenant," Kenny said. He saluted, which would have been a respectful gesture, if it wasn't accompanied by a teasing grin.

"Oh, put your hand down, private," Surge said, rolling his eyes. "I told you from the day you were injured in the line of duty to call me by my first name."

"Oh, what, _Santiago?_ As far as I'm concerned, your first name will always be_ Lieutenant._"

Even Flint snorted at that, which brought smiles to Kenny and Surge's faces. When he noticed them beaming at him, he turned red and burrowed his head in his hands.

"Anyway, there was a lot I wanted to talk to you about at the gym, but I thought it was best to give Red the spotlight," Kenny said. "A lot of stuff that I kinda just accidentally walked into." He handed a thermos to Flint, who took it gratefully.

"Would this happen to relate to the Mt. Moon fiasco that Red and Blue Oak were involved in?" Surge asked, polishing off his mug.

"Yup, Rocket Industries has a ton to unpack." Kenny's voice had fallen to a harsh whisper, as if afraid someone would overhear. "Including, well, I think we know now why the war ended the way it did. Samuel Oak, Fuji, Blaine, Bill Sonezaki...they've been keeping some pretty big secrets. I uh, really thought the two of you should know."

At that, Flint rose, looking at Kenny with shell shocked eyes, with a focus that Kenny hadn't seen since the early days of the Indigo War.

"What?" he breathed.

"Randy!" Surge suddenly said, and the bartender looked up from the dirty glasses he was wiping clean.

Surge held up his mug, his mouth contorting into a bizarre combination of a grin and a grimace.

"You better make the next round a double."

* * *

Watching his trainer shiver and whine in his sleep, Rocket wasn't so sure what to do.

You weren't supposed to wake up someone when they were dreaming, right? You were supposed to just wait it out and let them bear it the whole damn night? Easier said than done.

Red's face was beaded with sweat, and he was mumbling. Most of it was gibberish but Rocket caught a few names in the mix, people he no doubt was afraid were going to get hurt.

Rocket was used to feeling helpless, mediocre in combat and inadequate for emotional support, but this was unbearable. At least in battles he could feel some semblance of triumph in getting his ass kicked, knowing that he'd at least fought to the best of his ability, and that his failure was met with a consequence to himself.

But all he could do now was watch as Red wrapped his arms around his pillow and held it tight. Great job, Rocket. A pillow was doing a better job at comforting his best friend than he was.

"You know, you'd make a good dad."

Yelping, Rocket slipped off the bed, rolled down the covers and bonked his head against the (thankfully) carpeted floor. Moaning and rubbing his head, his eyes flashed to a laughing Drax.

"Nice landing," the Squirtle said, wiping a mirthful tear from his eye.

"Oww, what do you want?" Rocket muttered, his ears flattening in embarrassment.

"You owe me an explanation, pal," Drax said, jerking his head to the door. "I wouldn't impose, but you've spent the whole night sitting impassively on Red's bed, so I don't feel guilty about dragging you away for a minute."

Rocket glanced back to his trainer's sleeping form. "But he's—"

"Dude, it's a nightmare, not something you can fight. You can't hit subconscious inner demons super effectively, right?"

"Uh...I guess that's technically true."

"Then c'mon." Drax dragged him to the door. "Let Red fight his own fights."

* * *

"Okay, I see how it is," Rocket said sleepily, his eyes still trying to adjust to the bright light of the Pokemon Center's cafeteria. "You didn't actually want a heart to heart. You just wanted to raid the pantry."

The Squirtle was a tornado of destruction, ripping through casings of snack cakes, tearing into meats, and was now in the process of slurping down an entire jar of pickles.

"Hey, what can I say?" Drax said through a mouthful of dill. "Nurse Joys never lock up their food before I'm done with them, and I needed a lookout."

"Whatever, man, just enjoy yourself," Rocket muttered, resigning himself to guard duty. He flopped onto the ground, swishing his tail back and forth aimlessly.

"Hey, be my guest to whatever's here," Drax said. "Into pudding? There's a ton of pudding here."

"Not hungry."

"Toast? Cantaloupe? Cold pizza? C'mon, everyone likes cold pizza."

Rocket didn't answer.

"Fine, fine," Drax said, waddling over to where the Pikachu was lying. "What's up? Why don't you want to evolve? Why are you being all mopey."

"I'm not being mopey!"

"You're being pretty mopey."

"You realize that I could kill you, instantly right?"

"Yeah, but you won't," Drax said, making puckering up his lips to make obnoxious kissy noises. "You're too much of a softie.

"Just speak about it all right?" The Squirtle dropped his teasing tone. "I can tell you want to get it off your chest."

"All right," Rocket said, once again in resignation. "We're Pokemon, right? We fight, we get stronger. We get stronger so we can fight better. We fight better so we can evolve. We evolve so we can fight better than before. It's a cycle."

"Sure."

"Battling in our blood. It's what we do. But I hate it. I hate battling. It's probably the real reason I'm not very good at it. Or maybe it's the opposite. I hate it because I suck so much."

"You don't like fighting?" Drax asked, cocking his head to the side as if he couldn't comprehend such a notion. Rocket was used to that response. For most Pokemon, battling was like breathing.

"Can't stand it. Getting hurt sucks, and hurting or killing other people, even if it's necessary…" Rocket shuddered. "Maybe I don't like it so much because sometimes I am caught up in the bloodshed like other Pokemon. I lose myself, and not being in control is scary."

"Well, uh, I guess the million-dollar question is this," Drax said, scratching his head. "If you're not a fighter, why are you Red's starter to begin with? You're not just fighting; you made the choice to fight against the most powerful Pokemon in the region. Aren't you just hurting yourself?"

Rocket thought for a moment. "It's different with Red. He's so genuine and honest about what he wants to accomplish that I just want to help him see it through. Even the battles seem more fun, or at least worth the pain. It's like I'm fulfilling a purpose."

"But you still don't want to evolve?"

"I think by using a thunderstone, I'm giving in," Rocket said, looking down at his paws. "Pokemon can live long, healthy lives in their base forms, and I didn't evolve into a Pikachu because I battled. Raichu isn't better than Pikachu, it's just more powerful. If I took that plunge, I'd be giving my life to fighting. And everyone would know it."

Rocket watched Drax take in what he said, sure he'd fire back with sagely wisdom.

"Yeah, you're giving me a headache," Drax said, scratching his head. "Sounds like someone spends way too much time inside their own head."

"Pardon?"

"Look, are you enjoying yourself on this journey?" Drax said. "Does it feel right to you?"

"Yes."

"Then keep doing what you're doing, bro!" The Squirtle slapped his back. "And if you don't like battling, don't battle when you don't have to. It's as simple as that. No need to be so depressed all the time."

"You think you can wave problems away like that?" Rocket asked, arching a bow. Drax leaned forward and booped his nose.

Drax snickered. "It works for me, anyway!"

"Well, I certainly hope cleaning up after yourself works for you as well."

Rocket and Drax whirled around, so distracted by their conversation that they hadn't noticed Nurse Joy.

"Oh shit," Drax said, as her form melted into the shape of a fearsome Tauros. The bull stamped its foot on the floor, ready to charge. "Remember when I said about only fighting when you need to?"

"Y-yeah," Rocket said, gulping.

"This is one of those times! Fight for your life! Fight for your life!"

* * *

"A clone," Flint whispered. "That's what happened to me, then? A psychic clone destroyed my memory? Ruined my mind?"

"Your mind isn't ruined, Flint," Surge said, patting him reassuringly, before looking up at Kenny, about a million questions bursting to be answered. "So, this thing just lives in a cave on an island off of Cerulean?"

"Apparently," Kenny said. "Guarded by our old friends the Hellhounds. Jaune himself leads them now."

"It's nice to see the kid takes after his old man," Surge said, allowing a quiet smile to play on his face. "But uh...do we really have to call it 'Mewtwo'?"

"That's just what Red calls it," Kenny said, shrugging. "Honestly we just use the name out of habit at this point."

"So, other than Red and Blue meeting with whoever runs Rocket Industries, what plan do you guys even have?"

"There, uh, isn't one?"

Surge moaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I need another drink. We're just sitting Ducklett?"

Flint seemed just as distraught, anxiously running his hands through his hair.

"We just have to be prepared, _Lieutenant." _Kenny pulled out a pack of cigarettes, offering one to his former commander. "You're the most popular man in Vermilion, surrounded by men who have and will fight for your name. Yours truly included. Spread the word, build us up in the meantime. Mewtwo himself may not be aggressive right now, but we'll just have to be ready when Rocket Industries shows us their hand."

"And then we'll know whether to hold or fold." Surge nodded to himself, as he accepted the cigarette, brightening up a little. "I guess this Looker guy is hunting for answers too?"

"Damn straight." Kenny rested back comfortably in his seat, lighting his cigarette. "In the meantime, I'll watch over Red, be sure he keeps out of danger. Kid's rough around the edges, but once we refine him, I'm sure he'll be a real asset."

Surge held out his hand for Kenny to shake. "Well, I'll do what I can. First thing tomorrow I'm off to tell the President of the Pokemon Fan Club what we know, see where that gets us."

"Wait, why the Fan Club President?" Flint piped up.

"Because he also happens to be Vermilion City's Representative," Surge said, rolling his eyes at the thought. "If we clue in enough of the Representatives, next council meeting we can push serious questioning onto Rocket Industries, maybe bust them once and for all."

"To think I thought they were the heroes," Flint murmured into his now empty thermos. "Supplying us for the war, all those slogans about fighting for Kanto's future...they're the ones who really caused all of this."

"I'm sorry, Flint, I know this has gotta be tough on you," Kenny said. "Here, let me pour you another."

"I'm fine, Ken." Flint's hands were still shaking slightly, but he stood up, and when Kenny looked into his eyes, he saw that that newfound clarity was still in them. "I can't put into words what this means to me, finally being able to understand what happened. It's like…. it's like waking up from a dream.

"Let me help," Flint pleaded. "In any way I can."

Kenny smiled. "Flint, all I can ask you to do right now is to go home to Pewter. See your family again. You can move forward if you let the people who love you help you."

"I uh…" Flint hugged his shoulders, his earlier confidence gone. "Yeah. I just...I hate the thought of them seeing just how disappointing I've become.

"It won't be easy, old friend. And I'm not gonna kid you, it'll probably get worse before it gets better. But trust me when I say that all you can do to disappoint them now is continuing to hide away."

"You're right, Ken. You've always been right."

Flint didn't exactly have a bounce in his step when he left the _Drunken Horsea_, but his posture was noticeably improved. As they watched him go, Surge leaned in close to Kenny's ear.

"You've got probably the most positive outlook out of anyone I've ever known," Surge said. He thought for a moment. "Okay well maybe barring Red, now that I've actually met him. But anyway, I know you're putting a positive spin on this, but do you really think there's gonna be a real plan? That we'll have any idea what we're doing?"

Kenny gave out a wheezing laugh that had him doubled over. "Well I sure as hell didn't know what I was doing during the Indigo War! And I got out of that okay."

"You got shot in the leg!"


	38. Not the Absence of Fear

"I trust you, Greenie," Ross said, looking down at the map she had marked. "But uh...this looks suspiciously like a suicide mission."

Green and her officers had met at the gazebo looking over the biggest of Fuchsia's gardens. James, Jessie, and Ross were gathered around the map spread across the hardwood floor while Charles leaned against the gazebo railing, his relaxed demeanor betrayed by his now near empty pack of cigarettes.

Green herself was sitting up on the railing opposite Charles, swinging her legs absentmindedly. She had spent so long studying the map she had the thing memorized, from the landmarks to the general geography.

"According to Koga, we're not just capturing important targets," Green explained. "We're also chumming the waters. The high casualty rate isn't just inevitable, it's necessary. With luck, failure means a mere memory wipe and rehabilitation. Not, you know. Death."

Ross shook his head, a small smile appearing on his face despite the situation. "And you want me to lead the attack to Cerulean City. To get the attention of a gym leader who could break my bones as easily as breaking a sweat. I knew you just wanted to get rid of me."

"On the contrary," Green said, batting her eyes flirtatiously. "I knew you were the only one I could trust for the job, honey."

"Yeah, yeah, don't give me the goo-goo eyes. I'm already in."

"Route 24 and 25 are full of choke points, anyway. You'll be fine, Ross. Just know where to dig in your men and you'll be able to get Bill out of there easily.

"Charles, you don't have to deal with a gym leader, but Lavender is still home to some of the best ghost type trainers in Kanto, and I heard old Fuji used to be a pretty potent trainer back in the day," Green said. "Unlike Ross, you won't be able to rely on hit and run tactics; it'll be a pitched battle. You'll need to have everything mopped up before the Indigo League gets involved."

Charles made to toss away his cigarette, before realizing he was in a very expensive, well kept garden owned by very powerful ninja. "Don't see why it won't be doable if I have enough men and the element of surprise. But what I wanna know…"

He marched over to Green's side and pointed out of the gazebo, to the dojo on the horizon. "...is why we're not getting any help from the Johtian cultists who could kick the crap out of any of us easily."

"They're ninjas," Green said, shrugging. "A ninja isn't very effective when he's not clandestine."

"And we are?"

"You have to think of the position we're in, Chuck. Because we're wanted criminals, because our reputation is notorious, we can do whatever we want for Rocket without any serious consequences to the cause. If a Rocket executive is caught, or even a ninja, there'll be a trail all the way to the top. No one will be able to stand up against the clone."

She put a hand on Charles' shoulder. "We're the only ones who can pull off this mission."

Charles let out a sigh. "Fine. But I don't like it. Watching us to work for them...it's classic Johto. These better not be the people to inherit Kanto when we sacrifice ourselves to make a difference."

"We're not sacrificing ourselves," Green said. "And the ninjas have been doing their jobs since even before I got involved, just in secret. Get over yourself Chuck, you're going to have to learn to play nice if we ever want to succeed, even with people you don't like."

"Yeah, whatever."

Green ignored his tone and instead opted to focus next on Jessie and James. "What about you two? The escape plan hinges on you guys, so we don't have time for any of your crap."

"Aww...not even a little bit?" James said, pouting.

"Quiet, James," Jessie snapped, slapping him upside the head. "You know, we did used to be your commanding officers. You could show a little respect."

"Oh, please, we all know you're both bottom bitches. I'm asking you if you can handle the job I'm giving you."

James and Jessie shared a glance. Finally, it was James who cleared his throat.

"You can count on us, Green. We won't let you down."

Jessie blushed a bit, nodding. "Er...make it double."

Green softened her expression. "Thanks, you two. Your assurance means a lot, really.

"Okay, you four. Ross, Charles, I want you two to divulge everything I've said to you to your boys, and make sure they're a hundred percent aware of the plan. Jessie and James, gather up the divisions I'm leaving you. We strike out for the Safari Zone in two hours."

* * *

"The flock shouldn't be too far from here!" Janine sliced through brambles and vines with a katana, clearing out a path for Green and her squad of Rockets behind her. "Though I mean, the Safari Zone is full of more powerful and unique Pokemon to capture. Seems a waste to spend Pokeballs on such a common species."

"We're looking for maneuverability here, hun, not rarity." Green watched her new ninja friend slash and hack through the fauna. "Also, isn't this place protected? Should you really be destroying it?"

"Are you kidding me? I feel like _Indiana_ _Jones_, this is awesome! Screw wildlife reserves!"

Green shuddered at the spike of nostalgia that ran her through. "You know, Janine, the more we hang out, the more you remind me of Red."

"I take it that's not a compliment?"

"Not really, no." She turned to look at how her team was faring. Not well it seemed. They looked exhausted after the long trek through the jungle. Jessie and James in particular were practically being dragged on the shoulders of their grunts.

"Wow, I really take how effective ninja training is for granted, huh," Janine said, smirking at her exhausted men. "Your guys have really pathetic stamina."

"Yeah, I know, we're working on it," Green muttered, choosing to neglect to mention that during their intense workout two of them had vomited and three had passed out. "Is this close enough?"

"I'd say so," Janine said, reaching her hand to the throwing stars on her belt. "Open fire!"

Green nodded, checking back to see if her men were at the ready, before drawing her handgun from its holster. Raising it in the air, she fired.

There was a brief pause, but Green didn't risk glancing back to see how her boys (and Jessie) were doing. Janine gave her a firm nod.

And then a flock of very nettled looking Fearow burst from the trees, squawking and stretching out their talons. Green ignored the stab of fear and snapped her fingers.

"Safari Balls, now!" Green ordered. A moment later and about a dozen of the poke-balls were streaking through the sky, and even Green had to admit her men had good aim.

To a man (or bird?) the balls hit home, clearing the sky and leaving the remaining birds confused and in panic. Feathers flying everywhere and Fearow fighting for control of the airspace, this only made them easy targets for the next wave of Safari Balls.

"Good job, gang!" Green crowed, relief and elation flooding through her. "One more wave should do it!"

"Not bad," Janine remarked as the Rockets threw out their final wave of Safari balls, the last of the birds vanishing into the red light. "What's your plan for the leader of the flock?"

A shriek rang out, louder and stronger than even the flock had sounded when they were crying out in unison. Green gulped.

"L-leader of the flock?"

"Oh yeah!" Janine said, giggling innocently. "She's twice as big as most Fearow, and super aggressive! Did I forget to mention her?"

"Fuck me."

With wings that beat the air itself to submission, a massive Fearow emerged from the treetops, lunging for the trainers. The few Rockets who had any Safari Balls left chucked them, but the Fearow slapped them away and shot towards Green, who stumbled back and reached for a Poke-ball of her own.

"Carmel-" the Fearow slammed into her, and Green's back slammed against the dirt, pinned by the thing's talons. Green cursed as she felt her Voltorb's Poke-ball roll out of her grip. Her gun only had blanks, but maybe she could scare the Fearow off?

Then she saw her eyes.

Cold and reptilian, there was nothing but malice in them. She straightened, showing her full wingspan and leaving Green within her shadow.. Her talons dug into Green's ripping into her waist. It's beak flashed and it stretched its neck out, ready to strike.

Oh god, where was it going to aim for? What the fuck was that beak going to do to her?

She dropped her gun as well, any clarity giving in to blind panic as she froze entirely.

A second shadow enveloped the first as Janine sprung out, aiming a high kick that the Fearow raised a wing to deflect. The bird squawked, unleashing a gust of wind that threw Janine back, but as she fell she threw two shurikens with perfect accuracy.

The Fearow screeched in pain, the shurikens embedding themselves in her wings, and the talons loosened and pulled away from Green's chest, still dripping her blood.

Green stared blankly at her blood soaked shirt. She didn't move, not even when the Fearow ignored Janine and lunged for her instead.

Green's balance was knocked askew as Jessie slammed into her, throwing them both out of the way of the Fearow's path as it struck the earth where she had been moments before. Green stared at Jessie in wonder as she stood over her protectively-she had literally knocked the sense back in her.

"Idiot girl, do you want to get yourself killed?" Jessie snarled.

"Green!" James sprinted over to kneel at her sides, examining her wounds. "Are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine, I just…" Green watched as Janine drew the attention of the Fearow on herself, daggers at the ready. "I don't like b-birds very much."

"So you had us all capture dozens of Fearow?" Jessie asked, turning back exasperatedly. "You're too much, you know that?"

"The wounds don't seem too deep," James said, his relief at the realization evident in his tone.

Groaning, Green flopped back down onto the grass. She'd hoped by ignoring her fear, it'd go away eventually. Apparently, that wasn't how phobias worked. And now she'd made a huge scene.

"Don't worry, Green!" Janine said, giving her a confident grin as she backflipped to dodge a swipe of the Fearow's wings. "I got this! Muffet, Arachne, get her!"

Green noticed with a start that the shurikens embedded into the Fearow's wings held poke-balls within their centers. The balls snapped open and released two Ariados, who sent out string to tie down the Fearow's wings.

The Fearow screeched and stumbled, before striking out twice with her beak in rapid succession, slamming the Ariados away before freeing herself from the webbing with a flap of her wings.

Janine cursed as the Ariados hit the grass, rolling away. "Shit, well, that's all I've got." She slowly backed away as the Fearow turned to her, once again aiming with her beak.

"We'd better call out our Pokemon," Green said, trying to put a desperate lid on her fear. James and Jessie both nodded, each dropping a hand to their belts.

"Really now, I can't watch this anymore. They really don't make trainers like they used to, do they?"

Just as the Fearow made to attack, it was sent reeling by a blur of purple. Shrieking in pain as she fell back, talons digging into the earth, the Fearow watched the Crobat that had struck her perform a backflip to return to the side of its trainer, who had dropped from a nearby tree.

Koga shook his head as he dropped his scarf below his mouth. "If you need my help to defeat a few pesky birds, I fear for the worst for when you lead your actual mission."

The Fearow rose, giving Koga such a malignant stare that Green knew that she would've been paralyzed if it had been trained on her. Koga merely tutted.

"Christopher, end it quickly."

Once again a purple blur, the Crobat was upon the Fearow, who had taken flight to meet it. She jabbed with her beak, lashed with her talons, swiped with her wings, but Christopher was so fast that the best she managed was breaking apart the bark one of the trees.

A splash of blood and the Fearow wailed, the Crobat having appeared to deliver a deadly, venom filled bite to her wing. Christopher ducked out of the way of the Fearow's aggressive swipe of retaliation, returning once again to the side of his trainer. Evidently giving up, the Fearow began her very lopsided flight pattern back to her home in the treetops.

"Will it come back to attack us?" Green said, who had been silently wishing that Christopher would kill the bird. "I heard Fearows don't forget grudges."

"Assuming it doesn't die from the poison?" Koga returned his Crobat to his Ultra Ball and walked towards her, not even bothering to hide his curiosity. "Pokemon are not so unintelligent as to fight a suicidal battle, even if it might want revenge."

He stared at her long enough for her to feel uncomfortable. "Before today I would've thought you were fearless. I've never been more wrong."

The relief that she had felt briefly was quick to turn to indignation. "Well, I didn't ask for your help. I didn't need babysitting."

"I wasn't here to babysit you," Koga said, his eyes somehow dull and intense at the same time in how they bore into hers. "But you roped my daughter into your machinations. I had to be sure she was safe."

"Aww, dad, you're so sweet!" Janine giggled. "I love you!"

Koga's eyes didn't stray from Green's. "I love you too, sweetie."

"Look, I know I didn't exactly meet your expectations," Green said, Koga's cutting gaze puncturing her indignation and leaving only shame behind. "But I promise, my er...discomfort around birds won't be an issue."

"When I thought you were without fear, I thought you were an idiot, not brave," Koga said. "I still think you're an idiot, but incorporating Fearow into your strategy, even in spite of your phobia… that's the definition itself of bravery."

As he stepped away from her to check on Janine, he flashed back the tiniest of smirks. "Be sure that when you fly into battle, you don't pass out in fear. We wouldn't want you to have such an unremarkable death."

Green watched him walk away, allowing Jessie to help her to her feet. "That was...oddly nice of him."

"I think…." James began to twirl his long blue hair. "I think he was almost complimenting you."

"Hell must be freezing over," Green said, elbowing him. "Come on you two, let's get out of here. If I see one more giant bird, I'll probably shit my pants."

* * *

"You're dead."

Green strained and pushed to get out of Janine's scissor lock, but it was hopeless. Fighting Janine was like fighting a boa constrictor. "Okay, Janine. I can take you attacking me while I'm getting breakfast, while I'm training my Pokemon, even, fine, when I'm in the bathroom. But breaking into my house so you can pounce me as soon as I open the door is crossing a line! This isn't _Calvin and Hobbes_, you bitch!"

Janine simply smiled, watching Green struggle with a lazy yawn. "Hey, when you're facing an assassin, you could be attacked anywhere, anytime. You have to be constantly vigilant!"

As she finally let go of Green, Janine gave a cheeky little grin and pointed to an overnight bag. "Besides, I wanted a sleepover!"

Green rolled her eyes and flicked Janine's nose. "You know, you're lucky you're cute."

"I know I am!"

Green smiled and shook her head, walking to the window sill to pick up Miguel's Moonstone, massaging it's edges with her fingers.

"Okay, you've been playing with that since you've gotten here," Janine said, gesturing to the stone. "Will you just evolve one of your Pokemon already? Seriously, like eight of them can evolve with the Moonstone."

"Janine, I don't even_ have_ eight—"

"Okay, but honestly though."

Green sighed, flopping down on her bed. Janine had this annoying nettling way to her that could always find away to get you to open up to her. She supposed intelligence gathering was something second nature to her. "I don't know. I'm tired of making decisions. I kind of wish someone just picked for me for a change."

"You want my opinion?"

"No," Green snorted.

"Fine, I promise I won't try to influence your decision," Janine said, before letting out a loud cough into her arm that sounded suspiciously like; "Choose the Nidorino!"

Green rolled her eyes, tossing the pillow at her, but Janine unfortunately had ninja reflexes and caught it.

"Erm, Green?" Janine's usual smile slid off her face. "If you are so scared of birds, why _did _you decide to use them in your plan?"

Green narrowed her eyes, wondering if Janine was making fun of her somehow. "Because they were necessary for it? I don't think I get you."

Janine giggled at that, moving to sit by her on the bed. "Okay, let me ask a different question then. If you had such a problem with birds, why wouldn't you tell us? We could've helped you avoid them. Why stay quiet about it?"

"I'm the leader," Green said, shrugging. "A leader who happens to have tits. Leading mostly men, men who are older than me by about fifteen to twenty years. Being respected is already an uphill battle, showing any weakness will ruin any progress I made."

Janine laughed at that. "You can't fall down a mountain you've already climbed. Everyone already knows you're a badass, Green."

"Still. It's not great for morale, freezing up the second something with a beak squawks at me."

Janine raised her hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. If you won't trust your underlings with your shortcomings, at least trust me with what's bothering you, okay?"

"Well, I'm opening up to you now, aren't I?"

"Well, if that's the case, then give me the real reason behind why you don't have a kickass Nidoking on your side right now."

"Oh Arceus, you're impossible."

"Actually, my name is Janine!"

"I'm going to punch you," Green said through gritted teeth. "Look, if you really want to know, the Moonstone was the one thing Miguel left me. If I used it...there goes the keepsake. You happy now? And if I did use it, and I chose the wrong Pokemon to evolve, then I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

"I think I get it," Janine said. "Here, look at this." She opened her mouth, turning a little to show off a gap in her teeth.

"Damn, how did that happen?"

"My very first fistfight. With a thug. He knocked my tooth clean out." Janine gave her a conspiratorial grin. "But you know, I still keep it in a locket. You know, to remember. I get how keepsakes help erm...cope."

"Okay, that's kind of gross," Green said, mock retching. "But, thanks Janine. I think I needed to hear that."

Janine wrapped an arm around her. "You can trust your officers too, you know. I saw how Jessie and James reacted at the Safari Zone today."

"Maybe. Maybe I'm part of the problem. Talking about my shit just isn't my strong suit in general."

"You seem to be fine around me."

Green gave her a light punch on the arm. "That's because you're you. And you...well, you remind me of a few of my old friends."

"The...people you're going to fight soon?" Janine asked, not meeting her eyes.

"Yup." Green flopped back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "I sure do have a lot to unpack, don't I?"

"Well, unpack then!"

"You sure? It could take a while."

"Well, hey, I'm sleeping over, remember?" Janine flopped down comfortably next to her. "Lay it on me, sweetie."


	39. Bathed in Lavender

"You crossed a line. Never speak to me again."

"C'mon, Rocket, I said I was sorry like a billion times! I did what I had to! Be a pal!"

"No, Red. Our friendship is over after what you pulled. You disgust me."

Red and Rocket were roaming the dank tunnels of Rock Tunnel, undeveloped and pitched black. Though he could have merely taken the more scenic Route 11, Red had decided that the ground and rock Pokemon that inhabited the cave offered the perfect opportunity for Drax to finally train. Unfortunately, Rocket, who was currently glowing like a night light, wasn't very happy about their current situation.

"I can't believe it. I can't believe you taught me flash. The most disrespectful way you could possibly treat me."

"Rocket, please. I had to teach it to someone! Rock Tunnel is too dark and difficult to navigate for us not to have some form of light."

"It's called a flashlight!" Rocket growled, his anger enough to send sparks flying from his body. "Or, I don't know. Maybe send out the Pokemon with the light on the end of his tail?!"

Red flinched at that. "Star-Lord and I aren't exactly seeing eye to eye right now?"

"Oh shit, really?" Rocket scurried up his trainer's pant leg to climb onto his shoulder, poking his face to get him to look up from the rocks he apparently found so interesting. "What's wrong, kid? What happened between you two?"

Lifting up a hand to scratch the Pikachu behind the ear, Red took a minute to decide what to say. "I told Star he's been getting too aggressive during his matches. He didn't take it well."

"Oh." Rocket didn't seem very surprised. "Well, that sounds like Star to me."

"Is it really so hopeless to be a trainer and not kill Pokemon?" Rocket's ear twitched at the fear in his trainer's voice. "Or...to lose Pokemon?"

"I told you once and I'm not going to lie to you now. Pokemon die. Every day in the wild, and even under the ownership of trainers…" Rocket's ears drooped. "If you wanna be the champion, Red, you're going to need to accept that it might happen."

"You sound just like Star."

"But I'm not," Rocket said, looking stung at the accusation. "Trust me when I say I find no joy in watching Pokemon get hurt, or legends forbid I get hurt myself. If I can, I hold back, because I don't want to be a killer. But even despite that, I'm still a Pokemon, I can still lose myself to the thrill and adrenaline, even if I hate it. I mean, you saw what happened against Misty's Starmie."

"Rocket, if you really don't like battling, why are you doing it for me? You...you know you don't have to if you don't want to."

Rocket smirked, giving him a playful zap with a swish of his tail. "Because you're my best friend, idiot."

"Dude, you're going to make me cry."

"Red, as much as I say that you might have to be prepared to face death, it's your aversion to it that's been helping me be more comfortable with battling. Honestly, the fact that I'm not fighting for my life most of the time even makes it kind of fun."

"Alright, Rocket, you're confusing me," Red protested. "Do I need to accept the possibility of death or do I keep avoiding it, because you're giving me mixed messages."

"Hey, kid, I never said I had all the answers, did I?" Rocket hesitated a moment. "But if you wanted my opinion? Keep plugging along and keep up that loveable idealism of yours when you're battling. Don't kill if you can help it, and, if any of us do bite it, let yourself feel the pain.

"But whatever happens, don't give up. That's what we're all afraid of, even Star. Not that you'll need to kill and let your Pokemon die, but that if something does happen, you'll be broken by it. We feel that way because we know how badly you want your dream to come to fruition. So, don't let anything stop you all right? Just keep moving forward."

Red gave Rocket his old, confident "Red' smile. "Believe me when I say I'd die before giving up on my dream. But….I'd also die before I'd let anything ever happen to any of you guys. Even if it means running up onto the battlefield and fighting a Salamence bare handed."

"That's an image," Rocket snorted. He nuzzled against Red's cheek. "Thanks, kid. I think I needed to hear that."

There was a comfortable silence that followed between the two, one that was unfortunately interrupted by Drax sprinting (well, I mean, as fast as turtles can sprint) back into the light that surrounded Red and Rocket. He had grown in size, and his cyan skin was changed to a deep indigo.

"Guys, guys!" Drax panicked, running around to chase his now long and fluffy tail. "I have wings on my head!"

"Er….yeah, Drax," Rocket said. "You evolved. Wartortles have wings on their head."

"But why though?!"

* * *

"Okay, Ken," Red said, tipping his hat over his eyes to block the glaring sunlight. "You have to explain how you keep doing this."

After a long walk, and a philosophical discussion about Drax's new wing ears that somehow seemed to take even longer, a literal light at the end of the tunnel had led Red and his Pokemon to the northern, hilly entrance to Lavender Town, where they found Kenny camping out and waiting for them, already brewing his coffee. An elderly man was sitting next to him, one made Red feel an odd sense of nostalgia.

"What do you mean?" Kenny asked innocently as he held up a mug for Red. "Cream and sugar, right?"

"Yeah, like eight sugars," Red said, gingerly taking the steaming mug and squatting down beside Kenny and his makeshift camp, sure to keep his balance on the incline. "And I mean, how do you keep beating me to places? The last time I saw you was in Vermilion."

"Hey, I have my ways, champ," Kenny said, clinking mugs with Red. He took a sip and shuddered at the warmth. "Mm….expertly brewed as usual. I impress myself sometimes!"

"Yeah, yeah, Blue's supposed to be the smug one." Red took in the deep aroma of his own coffee, the smell somehow reminding him of a family he'd never had.

"This is Mr. Fuji," Kenny said, gesturing to the elderly man next to him. "Representative of Lavender Town."

"It's so wonderful to finally meet you, Red," the old man said. Despite his age he was in shape, and he wore surprisingly casual clothes. He was like the 'cool' great uncle Red had always wanted.

"Wait, hold on, that name sounds familiar." Red pulled out a notepad from his pocket to examine it. "I'm sorry, my friends have a lot planned out and sometimes I have trouble keeping track of the plot."

Finally finding what he was looking for, Red smiled and held out his hand for Mr. Fuji to take. "That's right! You were the one who captured Mew!"

"Well, I certainly wouldn't use the word 'captured'," Fuji chuckled. There was something so disarming about the way he smiled: Red was reminded of Yellow. "But yes, I did befriend her. She was always quite fond of cupcakes, if I recall."

"You fed one of the most powerful and elusive Pokemon to ever exist….cupcakes?"

"Well, even a mythical Pokemon can work up an appetite, can't they?" Fuji laughed a little too long at his joke, and Red tried to exchange a glance with Kenny, but the hiker seemed just as amused as the old man, and had given in to his trademark belly laugh.

"Anyway, we can speak more about it back at my house," Fuji said, standing himself up and dusting off his pants. "No staying at a Pokemon Center while you're here, Red, I'll have you set up in the guest room. Kenny, the coffee was as delicious as usual!"

As he hummed to himself, making his way down the hill to where Lavender Town was outstretched below, Red nudged Kenny.

"He seems like he knows me," Red muttered. "And he's friendly and all, but he's kinda freaking me out."

Kenny laughed at that. "Oh, that's just how old Fuji always is. And, according to him, he knew your parents. It makes sense that he's fawning over you."

"Oh." Red watched Kenny begin to follow after the old man, before he realized just what exactly the hiker had said.

"Wait, he knew my dad?!"

* * *

Mr. Fuji's tiny cottage reminded Red of the family sitcoms he used to watch as a kid. Cozy and warm, clean and lived in...it was nothing like Bill Sonezaki's clutter, or Arceus forbid his mother's house.

He, Kenny, and Fuji all sat around the old man's dining table, sharing a meal Fuji cooked himself (some type of bird. Farfetch'd, maybe?) He remembered watching those shows and wishing his life had been like those sitcoms. A family sitting around a table, exchanging stories and laughing...it was like a dream was finally being fulfilled.

His mom was usually passed out on the couch before evening, and though he had found a real sense of family under Samuel Oak's roof, the professor was so busy with his work that Red had often gone very long without even seeing him, usually prompting Red and Blue to simply order a pizza or something.

Red certainly never been mothered the way Fuji was treating him now, goading him to finish his plate and applying a napkin to his face when he had some mashed potato left on it. Red's mistrustful feelings were quickly pushed away by a surge of affection for the man.

The old man's home wasn't just a quaint little abode, but also an orphanage for Pokemon, and (most of) Red's team was having fun playing with the little tykes. Even Lucina helped out Fuji's Marowak chaperone some of the little ones with a sleep powder to finally quiet them.

Fuji kept Red and Kenny entertained with stories about Red's parents. "A little bumbling, your dad was, not the most coordinated man. Certainly wasn't as good at training Pokemon as your mother. But he was one of the most empathetic and supportive people I've ever known, and once he committed to something, he always saw it through."

"Chip off the old block, aren't you, champ?" Kenny grinned and leaned across the table to put a hand on Red's shoulder.

Red's smile was a little uncertain, not sure how to take what Fuji was telling him. It was the most he'd ever heard about his father. "I hate to bring down the mood, but what ended up happening to him? My mom never told me."

Fuji's wrinkles seemed to deepen, and Red noticed for the first time just how old he must have been.. "Well, I suppose that ties in with I'm sure the many questions you and young Blue Oak have for me. With everything that happened with Mew."

"Yeah, I don't think we actually had the complete story," Red said. "All we knew were some secondhand hints from Rocket grunts and Bill Sonezaki's account."

"None of whom ever really knew everything," Fuji said, nodding to himself, and he went a little pale. "Honestly, I believe it was Mew's capture and subsequent cloning that served as the reason Rocket Industries came to be in the first place. They funded the expedition that I led into the Berry Forest, as well as the research team that studied Mew when I introduced her to the public."

The hand holding his fork trembled to the point that he dropped his utensil. "In truth it's my greatest regret. I never saw her again after I gave her up to Rocket's scientists, scientists who created an all powerful clone responsible for the deaths of...well, I don't even know how many. And that's not even mentioning the fact that Mew being in human hands sparked the Indigo War."

A tear began to leak from his eye down to his wizened cheek.. "I should have kept her a secret. If I had known…"

"That's just it though, Philip," Kenny said, keeping his soft and non confrontive. "You can't ever know. There's no point beating yourself up about it. Try looking forward instead of backwards, alright?"

Fuji gave him a watery smile. "Of course. Forgive me. I...I just can't help but feel helpless at such an old age, too feeble to take responsibility for the tragedies that I helped play a part in. Leaving the fate of Kanto to the innocent youth."

Once, Red may have felt proud at the gaze of one who expected great things from him, but Fuji's eyes were haunting, and he couldn't help but shy away from him.

"Bullshit," was Kenny's simple response as he polished off the last of his peas. "You're still standing aren't you?"

"Er...yes," Fuji said.

"Still have your wits about you? Got a Pokemon by your side?"

"I do."

"Then you're not feeble enough to not make a difference! We gotta give our future generations someone to look up to!" Kenny lifted up Red's hat and ruffled his hair.

"Ow!" Red cried in delightful indignation, swatting the hiker's meaty hand away. "Stop it!"

Fuji laughed at the display. "You never let anyone feel sorry for themselves, do you, Ken?"

"Of course not! I'll listen to their troubles and brew them a hot cup of coffee, but it's my job to not let anyone stay off their feet too long." Kenny stood up straight, giving a mock salute to the air. "Self pity never did anyone any good. Standing up on your feet and holding your ground is what being Kantonian is all about!"

"Hear, hear!" Red said through a mouthful of mash.

"Your father would have had the same reaction," Fuji said, nodding at Red. "I guess you want to know what happened to him, huh?"

Red nodded. "It was on his feet, right? Like Kenny said?"

"It was," Fuji said, though once again he looked very reluctant to speak. "Did Sam or Blue ever tell you what happened to Gary?"

"Blue's dad?I mean, I hadn't until just recently," Red admitted. "Blue told me that his dad was trying to fight Mewtwo, and he er...didn't make it out."

"That's true, but what Oak apparently neglected to mention was that Gary wasn't alone. Your parents were close to the Oaks, even then, and jumped to Gary's side as soon as he asked them, and Giovanni Romano, the gym leader of Viridian City, was the one who led the assault."

"Wait, you're saying my _mother _fought the clone?" Red asked. "She didn't like, just like drunkenly compare Mewtwo to his father and make him clean up her vomit?"

"Jesus, kid," Kenny murmured. "Lot to unpack there."

Red shuddered. "You're telling me."

"Life wasn't easy for Delia, Red," Fuji said. "She watched her husband and a close friend die to er...Mewtwo's what we're calling it? Yes, Mewtwo's hands. She went to pieces after that."

It took a second for that to sink in. Red's head began to ache.

"That is why, isn't it? Why she'd always tell me I'd end up like my dad. Now I get the context." He tipped his hat over his eyes and turned away, so that no one would see how red his eyes were.

He was conscious of Kenny and Fuji both giving him pitiful stares, but he hated pity. It always made him feel helpless. "But Blue Oak wasn't like my dad. He was an Oak. He's a prodigy, born to change the world. God, he was like the son she'd always wanted. While I…"

"Look at where you are now, Red," Kenny said, his eternal grin no longer on his face. "Three badges, a team of powerful Pokemon. You prove her more and more wrong every day."

"No." Red shook his head, standing up on shaky legs. He stumbled for a moment, but his hand found a wall to steady him. "No. The only way I can prove her wrong—"

"Look." Kenny stood up as well, apparently catching on to where Red was going with this. "Don't bite off more than you can—"

"I have to defeat Mewtwo. That's the endgame. It's why nothing I've ever done is good enough for her. If I can just bring the clone down...

"Ugh, what am I saying?" Red muttered, already feeling his anger deflate. "I think I need a breath of fresh air."

Out of the corner of his eye, Red saw Fuji give Kenny a concerned look. "Er...of course. Please, take your time."

"I'll go with you," Kenny said.

"It's fine….we'll be fine," Red said, gesturing for Rocket to jump on his shoulder. "It'll be nice to get a good look at Lavender." He tried for that fake smile he always did when there was something bothering him. It wasn't very effective.

* * *

"Lavender kind of sucks, huh."

"Yeah, not the most happy or eventful place. I never like to stay here too long."

In truth, Red was reminded of Pallet. A slightly bigger, somehow even more depressing Pallet. The buildings were tinged with purple, which may have been fun, if they had been more of a cheerful indigo instead of a dull mauve riddled with chipped paint. The townsfolk themselves were just as woebegone as their home. Mostly elderly men and women, they didn't walk with that same purpose that those of Pewter or Viridian had. Instead there was a sense in how they shambled about that they simply didn't have anywhere better or more important to be.

There was one major landmark in Lavender Town, the Pokemon Tower, which apparently stood as the tallest structure of the less urbanized of Kanto's settlements. With nowhere else to go, Red found himself drawn there, though he was a little concerned by the old women in odd clothes gathered and warbling about being possessed.

"Are they okay? Do they need help?" Red whispered to Rocket, who didn't even look taken aback by the odd behavior.

"Eh, this is pretty typical Lavender Town behavior. These women are spirit mediums, so they probably _are_ possessed right now."

"They are?" Red shivered as one of the women caught him staring. When she looked back into his eyes, her own were merely blanks, no pupils in sight.

"Sure. Usually they never actually get through to the afterlife because Gastlys find an easy target to prank."

"I don't think I understand Gastlys," Red said. "Are they dead, or are they born ghosts, or…."

"All of the above, kid," Rocket said. "Some ghost types are born the old fashioned way…."

"Ergh…"

"But many are actually just Pokemon who weren't satisfied with the afterlife," Rocket said, before chuckling. "You know, Lavender really is thematically appropriate with the conversation we just had, isn't it?"

"Is the afterlife...a nice place?"

"Well, I'd say that, since our world is not literally swarmed with ghost types, it must be pretty good." Rocket thought for a minute. "Maybe that's why death doesn't freak us out the way it does you humans. We know something good's coming. You guys are used to facing the unknown."

"That is a scary thought." Red said. He thought for a moment. "Why do Pokemon come back as ghost types anyway? What do they get out of it?"

"Well...usually you'd think it comes from some sort of regret, but honestly mostly I just see ghost types party and spend their reanimation pranking and having fun.

"I've never seen a Gastly sad. I think it just comes from a love of life."

"Oh." Red thought for a moment. "Do you think I could come back as a Gastly? I could keep dying and coming back, over and over, until finally I prove myself."

"Probably not, kiddo. That's just not how humanity works," Rocket snorted. "But, hey, if you're lucky, maybe you'll wake up as a Kadabra."

Red laughed. "Fingers crossed, eh? I guess in the meantime, I'll just have to make the most of this life, huh?"

* * *

Star was trying to nap. It was hard, not because he was uncomfortable. Mr. Fuji had a nice place, and the Charmeleon was lying out on his stomach in front of the fireplace, basking in the warmth. It had begun to rain, and while the thought of water was usually stressful, there was something soothing and safe in how it pitter pattered against the roof. He would've dozed off long ago, but his teammates were loud idiots.

There was the sound of slurping as Lucina drank the sap from Groot's bulb. God, that was a horrible image. Then there was Drax and Jackie, both still freaking out over the Squirtle's recent evolution into Wartortle.

"Oh my god, Drax! Your tail is so fluffy I wanna die!"

"Okay, I'm jazzed you like it, but you're going to tear it off."

"Good! I'll make myself a pair of earmuffs!"

"Jackie, no."

And, then the icing on a cake. Someone was jumping on his back.

"Oh my Arceus, get off me!" Star pushed himself up, and a brown furball rolled off his back and hit the carpet with a thud.

The Pokemon, an Eevee, hopped to his feet, wagging his tail excitedly, before pouncing again. "Rawr!"

Star blinked as the Eevee bit into his arm. He lifted it up, carrying the fox with him, his little feet kicking the air.

Star bared his teeth. "I'm going to eat you, pipsqueak."

Eevee tried to say something through a mouthful of Star's arm, before apparently thinking better and unclasping his jaws. "I'd like to see you try! I'm Thor, and I'm going to beat you in combat, foul son of Loki!"

He lunged again, but Star swatted him away with his tail. The Eevee hit the carpet and rolled all the way over to Groot, who steadied him with a vine.

"Thanks, friend!" Thor said, lying on his back and staring in wonderment at the Ivysaur. "Would you like to join me and fight this foul serpent?"

"I actually will eat you," Star called. "Raw or cooked, whichever I'm in the mood for."

"Um…this might not be a fight you want to pursue, little guy," Groot said.

"Yeah, I've seen him eat Diglett before, he's shameless," Lucina piped up.

"No, don't you see!" Thor said. "It's the only way I can fulfill Ragnarok! I land a lethal blow on the fell snake, but alas, its deadly poison seeps into my blood! After taking nine painful steps, I'll fall as well."

"Jesus, what's your typing? Normal and Shitty Poetry?" Lucina drawled.

"Wait, what's Shitty Poetry super effective against?" Groot asked.

"Nothing, it's the worst type."

"Oh." Groot turned to give Thor an awkward smile. 'Well, I mean, Star doesn't have any venom, but if you really want I can use poison powder on you or something?"

"Nah, don't worry about it," Thor said, patting Groot's head with his paw before lunging at Star again. "Prepare to be defeated**,** Jörmungandr!"

Star's tail lashed out, tripping Thor and throwing him onto the floor once more. "Gesundheit."

"No!" Thor moaned as Star-Lord pinned him down with his foot. "That's your name! It's no fun if you don't play along!"

"Then why would you pick me?" Star asked. "I hate kids, and I'm the one trying to sleep on the floor. Can't you play with literally anyone else? Even Lucina would be a better pick and she hates everyone."

"Oh yeah, I know a fun game we can play!" Lucina clapped her hands excitedly. "It's called, 'I throw you off the top of Pokemon Tower' and you try to fly!"

"Jeez, Lucy," Jackie said, edging away from her.

"What? I like short games."

"It's just, you seem like you're the strongest and coolest!" Thor said. "Butterfree are lame!"

"That's offensive!" Groot cried.

"No, no, he has a point," Lucina said. "If your name's not Lulu you're probably going to suck and die. Just the way of life for us Butterfree."

"Look, everything you said about me being the coolest and toughest is true," Star said. "Objectively true."

"Yeah, yeah we get it, you're better than us. You don't have to rub it in," Groot mumbled.

"But that doesn't mean I want to waste time babysitting." Star folded his arms. "You're not worth my time."

"Please!" Thor hopped up and down. "You don't know how boring it is in Lavender Town! I'm going out of my mind here! Also I'm an orphan and if you're mean to an orphan you're a horrible person, so please!"

"All right, all right!" Star said, the flame at the end of his tail firing up in his annoyance. "I'll train you if that's what you really want. It'll be rough, though. If you're not hurling your guts out by the end of it, you didn't train hard enough."

"Yay!"

"Damn, Lavender really blows, huh?" Drax said to Jackie, though it was Rocket who responded, the Pikachu apparently had arrived without anyone noticing.

"No shit," the Pikachu said, shaking water droplets out of his fur. "Every time I visit, the more miserable it gets."

"Oh shit, dude, when did you get here?" Drax asked.

"A while now. You guys were just too distracted by the twerp screeching about Norse mythology."

"Where's Red?" Jackie asked. "He's been...kind of different lately."

"He wanted to stay outside, wander around in the rain," Rocket said. "I think he's still dealing with the whole, 'how far he has to go to prove himself' thing."

"That's annoying," Lucina muttered. "Should we go after him?"

"Kenny went to go find him when he saw me come back alone," Rocket said. "Who knows, maybe he'll find a way to get through to him."

* * *

It wasn't a thunderstorm yet, but Red could tell it was coming. The clouds swirling above had turned grey, and the pouring rain only became more and more intense.

Yet Red had ignored it, climbing up one of the hills overlooking Pokemon Tower and flopping down on the wet grass. He himself was soaked now, though he didn't really mind.

Red never gave in. Not in training, not in daily tasks, not even in a mere video game. If there was something to be done he'd do it to the best of his ability, and if he didn't have the ability, he'd keep at it until he learned how. There was so much he still sucked at…he still couldn't surf if his life depended on it, he was the worst volleyball player on his team, and he'd only just recently finally grasped Pokemon training. But somehow, excelling had felt like a hunger that constantly needed to be sated. If he wasn't practicing he was wishing that he was.

But when it rained, Red liked to collapse and let it overcome him, let it soak and ruin all his clothes. When it rained he liked to give control to the universe for once, let it do what it wanted to him. It was peaceful, and a quiet relief.

It had gotten so dark that Red hadn't even noticed Kenny had joined him until the hiker spoke.

"You doing all right?"

Red turned and propped himself up on a shoulder. There he was, under an umbrella. "Ken, I have to know. You wanted to be a gym leader really badly, right? Before the war screwed everything up?"

It was difficult to see Kenny's expression in the dark, but when he spoke, his tone was as warm and disarming as it always was. "Yeah, I wanted to be a gym leader. Arceus, it must've been my sole focus as a kid."

"How did you accept that it wasn't going to happen?" Red asked, surprising even himself with the desperation in his tone. "You're probably the happiest man I've ever known, and after what you had to go through, I don't understand."

Kenny laughed at that, a quiet chuckle compared to his usual full belly wheezing. "The easy answer is that even though I knew what I wanted to be, I knew that fulfilling it wouldn't bring true joy. My happiness comes from the simple pleasures in life. A daily cup of coffee, a laugh with friends. Watching you come into your own as a person."

"Oh."

"Hah, you don't believe me, do you?" Kenny sat down on the wet grass, putting away his umbrella and lying beside Red. "You're young. When I was your age I thought that my happiness was dependent on my dreams as well."

"But….isn't it?" Red asked. "Isn't that what life's about? Fulfilling a purpose? Proving yourself?"

"I think the question you have to ask, Red, is who exactly you're proving yourself to. Your mom? Professor Oak? Me?"

"Well, yeah. Who else would I have to prove myself to?"

"You. That's what's most important. I think. Not whether you achieve your goals, but whether you're happy enough with yourself and the decisions you make."

Kenny stared at the Pokemon Tower, or maybe at something beyond it. "I knew...a lot of kids like me and you back at the war. They had dreams like you and believed themselves to have purposes in life, something to fulfill. And...a lot of them didn't make it out of the war. That's the thing about life, it just ends sometimes.

"So, if you bit it, right now, if something horrible happened, I want you to ask yourself if even without accomplishing that dream, you could be proud of the person you were in trying to see it through.. Did you become a trainer to win, to be recognized, or because it was something you loved doing? Could you be at peace knowing that, either a stone's throw away or a mountain's climb, you lived the best way you could?"

It was a long while for Red to respond, but Kenny didn't seem to mind the rain. "These are a lot of heavy questions, Ken."

Kenny's next laugh was, for a moment, louder than the clap of distant thunder. When he recovered, he rose to his feet, grunting at the effort. "And the answers to them are lessons learned when you've lived a lot longer. Even I wouldn't be bold enough to say I have them all.

"But keep doing what you're doing, champ. I can tell from your eyes that you love battling. And life's too short not to live your life doing what makes you happy. Or at least, that's my answer."

Already walking back, he turned his head to look back at Red. "When you're tired of lying around, come back home. Old man Fuji misses you. I'm sure he'd be happy to stuff you full of food and share more stories."

Red noticed with a start, a little while after Kenny had left, that the hiker had not taken his umbrella with him. It sat a few feet away from Red, very forlorn.

Red finally pushed himself up, wiping away the rain from his face. Realizing for the first time how cold it was, Red picked up the umbrella and held it above his head.

After a moment, he pulled it open to protect him from the rainfall.


	40. Pink Tears

The migraines grew worse as the SS. Anne neared Cinnabar Island. It meant Yellow knew she was on the right track.

But the pain still wasn't fun.

Knowing what she did about Looker, there was no doubt that he would grow suspicious of her ailments if he didn't have his own concerns during their voyage. He was apparently terrified of being on the water, and so preoccupied with his own phobia that he didn't have time for odd psychic phenomenon.

Despite herself, Yellow couldn't help but smile at the way Looker danced off the gangway and dove into the sand when the SS Anne finally arrived at Cinnabar's beach, thoroughly ruining his outfit in the process. Ignoring the weird looks the rest of the tourists were giving him, she skipped down after Looker in a far more composed fashion, giggling a little at how he kissed the 'sweet' ground.

"I've always wanted to visit Cinnabar when I was a kid. Maybe we could take a raincheck on the investigation and have a nice beach day?"

"No." Looker rose to his feet, business as usual. Unfortunately, his suave mannerisms were a little undone by the sand caked around his mouth like a beard. "For all we know, Koga's already aware that his ninjas didn't kill us off. We need to find what we need to and go into hiding. My list of questions is a long one."

A stab of pain right between her eyes was enough for Yellow to fall to her knees, her vision going blurry. A drop of blood fell from her nose and stained the sand below.

"And your little episodes fall at the very top of that list. Why are they happening, and why do they become more intense and frequent over time?"

Still grimacing, Yellow managed to force a sheepish smile. "I thought you...hadn't noticed…"

"Well, I'm a detective. I'd be a pretty poor one at that if I didn't notice your violent impulses and glowing eyes."

"Wait, my eyes glow? What do you mean?"

"Yellow, they're glowing right now. Glowing pink. How did you not know?"

"Well, I don't exactly look in the mirror when I—" Another stab of pain, and Yellow's sass turned to a squeak. "Can I go to a hospital?"

"No." Looker knelt down beside her. "Answers first, medical treatment later."

"This….cannot be….legal…" Yellow managed to hiss out.

"Trust me, nothing I've done since I've arrived at Kanto has been legal. Please answer me, now."

But Yellow had one advantage that Looker didn't. Somehow managing to force her hand to her belt, she tapped the button on a poke-ball.

"Ergh...guys...help," Yellow grunted out. Alphonse and Edward exchanged a glance, before swinging a claw that Looker was forced to spring back to avoid. Al's beak scooped up Yellow like a newborn kitten and the Doduo took off.

Feeling herself losing consciousness, she turned back to see if Looker was giving chase. He wasn't, instead merely dusting the sand off his shoulders. He met her eyes briefly, but she wasn't able to interpret his expression before the world went black.

* * *

"Hello, Yellow." A giggle. "Has anyone ever told you that that rhymes?"

"Red reminds me constantly."

"Oh, I love Red. He's such a sweetie!"

"I do too."

Yellow never had dreams. Only conversations in her sleep that she could always remember the day ever. The high pitched, feminine voice didn't tell her much, only asked. About her day, about her feelings. So, Yellow answered. In truth, she had never really questioned the disembodied voice until it had made its first request.

"Thank you for coming this far, Yellow. You're really close."

"Why does it have to hurt so badly?"

"I'm sorry. That's me. I can't control it."

"Okay, well can you warn me next time so I can get some Tylenol or something?"

"The pain's the only way I can communicate with you in the first place, silly!"

"Oh."

"But I promise, if you find your way to the mansion, I won't bother you again. You'll get a nice long break."

"Okay. I kind of like talking to you, though. You're nice."

"Oh, I'm so happy I picked you, Yellow. You're so cute! But, can you really say you'll miss the headaches? Hiding the headaches?"

"Oh...no, I can't say I will."

Another giggle. "We'll talk soon, Yellow. But everyone deserves a break sometimes. Just a little longer, Yellow, and you can rest."

* * *

There was something so nostalgic about Cinnabar, Looker thought. He couldn't quite place it, though, much like most his life before becoming a police officer.

The beaches were beautiful, miles of white sand surrounded the vicinity of the island, and though Looker had initially thought his loud Alolan touristy-getup was a little on the nose, he was surprised to find that the island's inhabitants style was remarkably similar. Looker didn't stand out at all, which of course was what he wanted.

Yet Looker had been to Alola, and somehow Cinnabar painted a different picture. The lifestyle seemed so much more manufactured, the people looking to the island as an escape from their lives rather than going about their day in that carefree Alolan way. There was tension in the air as well, from some of the older, long-lasting residents, as though insecurities were hidden by a curtain of false comfort.

He supposed that given this place was apparently the clone's home of origin, that wasn't surprising. There wasn't a city in Kanto that didn't carry its share of secrets.

Still, he shrugged as he took a sip from the juice in his coconut. That wouldn't stop him from enjoying himself.

He sat on a stool at the snack bar, musing over his failure to get information out of Yellow. It had been pretty cold of him to grill her while she was essentially having a cosmic aneurysm, but she was unlike any person he had ever met. Strikingly competent despite her stature and nature, with eyes that glowed with an intense light when she had her migraines. Looker had a feeling Oak hiding her wasn't an accident.

He'd jumped the gun, though, and now he didn't know where she was. No doubt it related to the clone, though.

Time wasn't on his side. It wouldn't take long for Koga to realize that it had been his own ninjas that had been assassinated. Looker would have to go into hiding, but he had two objectives to complete first.

Firstly, Cinnabar was the home to the clone's creator, Blaine Scorcher, who also happened to be the local gym leader. No doubt having the answers to all of Looker's questions, as well as a potential means to find the clone's weaknesses, Blaine's knowledge could potentially turn the tide of the whole affair. His account could be enough to alert the other regions to take direct involvement, at the very least.

Then there was Yellow, who Looker was beginning to understand was far more important than likely she even knew. And if Oak kept her close to the chest, he could assume that her capture could mean cataclysmic results. Beyond learning her secrets, he'd need to find her before the ninjas that would not doubt be as insistent in tracking her down as they were him.

Looker grumbled at his own luck. Who would be more difficult to handle, the experienced gym leader or the girl powerful enough to take down a ninja bare handed?

He hated his job.

* * *

Looker was surprised to see as many trainers as he did around the Cinnabar gym. He had assumed that, since Blaine was a shut in, his gym was simply shut down. He was proven wrong, though, by the way intense flames lit up the gym's windows, and the muffled shouts of an active audienced.

He patted one of the trainers, a girl a few years older than Yellow, on the shoulder. She turned to give him a very scandalized look.

"Is Blaine in there?"

"Who, Blaine himself? No, he has a stand in to send out Pokemon and earpieces to communicate orders to them. How do you not know that? What, are you from another region or something?"

She said it with a sneer, as if being from another region was the worst thing one could be.

"Yes, actually. I'm er...a tourist. From...Alola…" Looker said. "Could you tell me where he lives, by any chance?"

The girl pointed upwards.

Looker rolled his eyes. "Thank you very much."

"No, idiot. His house is up on Mt. Crimson. You know. The volcano."

As she stalked off, muttering about stupid tourists, and Looker resisted the urge to strangle her, he turned to watch the smoke unfurl from the volcano far off on the horizon; no doubt a trek that would take a few hours.

"So much for a nice vacation," Looker muttered.

* * *

Blaine's home, a small mansion at the base of the active Mt. Crimson, seemed like an accident waiting to happen, or more accurately an accident that had already happened. The windows were cracked, painting had been stripped to reveal shaky, wooden foundations, and there were more than a few cobwebs stretched from the rooftop to the walls. If he hadn't known that Blaine was hiding here, he would have assumed the mansion was abandoned.

Yellow was sitting on his front steps, almost bored, as though she were waiting for him. Looker approached cautiously, worried he'd scare her off, but when Yellow's eyes caught his own only recognition lit up in her features. The Doduo next to her looked less calm, the feathers on their twin heads standing up straight.

"Hello," Looker said, keeping a wary eye on the tense Doduo.

"Hi. Down, guys, it's okay." She gave her Pokemon a stern stare, and they slumped on the ground. "Are you going to threaten me to answer your questions again?"

"No," Looker said, giving her what he hoped was a convincingly guilty expression. "I'm sorry, it was wildly inappropriate of me to grill you while you were at your weakest."

Yellow smile was thin and knowing, as though she were reminded of an inside joke. "I was at my strongest, actually."

"Oh. Okay."

"I'm not opposed to sharing my secrets," Yellow admitted. "But it'll be a trade. I don't know anything about you, Looker. No one does, so forgive me for being hesitant."

"As I said before, that's quite fair." Looker sat down beside her, trying to ignore the evil look on Yellow's Doduo's faces. "I could...explain myself, as it were, once I'm sure I can trust you as well."

"So, that leaves us at an impasse, eh?" Yellow giggled. "We're just going to be talking around in circles at this point, aren't we?"

"Well, then I'd say it's time we looked at what's in front of us." Looker pulled himself up to his feet, aggressively marching to Blaine's front door.

"Wait, I knocked already," Yellow said, springing up behind him. "No one answered."

"Well, in a moment he'll have a lot to answer to," Looker growled. "Stay behind me, Yellow."

With a grunt, he barreled into the old and battered door, breaking it down with ease. He turned to smirk at Yellow, who was staring at him in surprise, before sprinting in, reaching for the single poke-ball on his belt.

Looker had at one brief look at the interior of Blaine's home—judging by the sleeping bag and clothes strewn about, Blaine never left his foyer—before someone tackled him and sent them both crashing over broken furniture.

Looker gasped in pain as he hit a wall, the impact enough to toss a painting to the floor and shatter. Long, cold fingers closed around Looker's neck, and though he tried to wrestle the old man away (Blaine, most likely), he had a surprising amount of wiry strength.

For a moment, Looker stared into Blaine's eyes, crazed and desperate. Though he was completely bald, his beard was long, unkempt, and matted, and Looker could smell stale liquor on his lips. He wondered if these would be his last sensations, when Yellow threw herself upon Blaine from behind and Looker was free to roll away.

Blaine shouted and writhed, Yellow locking herself tightly around his waist, and the two stumbled around as Looker looked on. Yellow growled like a wild Pokemon and bit down on his shoulder, eliciting a screech from the old scientist. Aggressive reflexes were enough for Blaine to rip her off him, and he actually threw her across the room. Yellow's head smacked against the far wall.

Looker bit back a curse as she crumpled to the floor, exchanging a glance between her and a very at large Blaine, who ripped out a poke-ball from the pocket of his dirty bathrobe.

"You think you can take on a gym leader?" Blaine's voice was hoarse, as though he weren't used to using it, and his teeth were rotten and yellow. He tapped the button on his poke-ball, and Looker gulped, raising his arms defensively and trying to prepare for the flaming onslaught that was sure to follow.

Only...it didn't.

Blaine looked just as confused as he did. The poke-ball was glowing and vibrating, as though it were fighting a losing battle. Whatever was inside couldn't seem to escape.

"What?" Blaine hissed, tapping the button repeatedly. "Open up, you blasted-"

Looker turned to see Yellow rise to one knee.

Her eyes were glowing again, an intense pink aura channeling around her irises, her closed fist enveloped in that same hue.

Looker didn't understand how, but Yellow was keeping that ball from opening.

She spat out blood, and Looker had never been more scared of a little girl before. "Edward, Alphonse! Now!"

Looker had forgotten all about the Doduo, who sprinted through the front door and pounced on Blaine, forcing him to the floor with ease. He struggled only a moment before apparently realizing the attempt was fruitless, and he slackened.

"Are you...er...all right?" Looker asked Yellow, staring at the dent Yellow had made to the wall when she'd been thrown against it.

"My head hurts," was Yellow's simple response as she marched past him, wiping away the blood on her lip. She kneeled next to Blaine.

"HI! I'm Yellow! I'm looking for the underground laboratory. Could you help me?"

Blaine's glassy eyes focused on her. "How could you possibly know about that?"

Yellow giggled. "I'm sorry, but I don't think you're in a position to ask questions. Where's the lab?"

There was an edge to her tone, and the Doduo's talons flexed, digging deeper into Blaine's chest.

Blaine whimpered. "Take a left. There's a staircase that leads directly to it."

"Thank you!" She turned to Looker. "I trust you can question this guy? There's something I need to do down there."

"Yes, I imagine I'll want to do my own investigation once I'm finished up with him." Looker thought a moment as she turned to leave. "Yellow."

"Hmm?"

"Once we learn what we need to. I'll tell you about myself. I think you earned it, considering you saved my life."

Yellow smiled, and with a swish of golden hair she had turned the corner.

"Well, I'm happy she's on my side," Looker said, shivering, before gesturing to the Doduo to let up Blaine. The old man, no longer aggressive and now merely trying to make himself as small as possible, wouldn't meet the International Police Officer's eyes.

"Blaine Scorcher. Founding Father of Kanto. Top Scientist. Gym Leader. Er….I think you were host of a quiz show, at some point-"

"Okay, I get it!" Blaine snapped. "Please, just get on with it. If you're going to kidnap or kill me…"

"Oh, Blaine, of course we're not going to do that. We're the good guys, after all."

"You assaulted me in my own home!"

"Well, I was getting desperate. You're the father of the clone, the scourge of Kanto and Johto. I couldn't not get your account, and you were being, well, difficult."

"I see," Blaine said through gritted teeth. "So that's what this is about."

"Precisely. I'm Looker, of the International Police. And it's about time I got some concrete answers."

* * *

"It's kind of sad that I can only physically appear in the place where I went through the most pain."

Yellow stared at the apparition next to her, a pink ball of light, glimmering and warming the dreary and demolished laboratory. She began to poke at it, noting the ball to be quite squishy.

"Stop it."

"Oh," Yellow yelped, dropping her hand. "Sorry!"

"It's alright, Yellow, dear. But yeah. I don't like this place very much."

"This is where Mewtwo came to be, right?" Yellow looked over the destroyed lab equipment, keeping an eye out for the broken glass that had never been swept up. She noted that her migraines were gone, maybe because the voice in her head could actually take a physical form.

"Yeah. He wasn't very happy here, as I'm sure you can tell."

Yellow shivered. Now that her eyes had adjusted to the bright light, she was beginning to notice all of the blood stains coating the walls and the floors. "Why did you bring me here then?"

"Well, besides the fact that it's the easiest place to talk to you, there actually is something here that brings me joy. Shall we?"

"Er, after you."

Yellow resolved herself to keep her eye on the floating ball of light, doing her best to ignore the increasingly grim surroundings. Bloodstains everywhere, decaying bodies...she pressed the top of her shirt against her nose and mouth so she wouldn't vomit. Blaine clearly had never gone down here after the clone had escaped, and she couldn't blame him.

"Oof," the ball of light said. "I'm glad I don't have a sense of smell anymore."

"Yeah, I really envy you right now," Yellow whimpered through her shirt.

"Well. Here we are!"

The ball of light floated out of Yellow's way, leaving her face to face with a crib.

This little room, off on one of the lab's wings, seemed to be designed to be a little more comfortable. For one thing, this room was the only one with painted walls, a pretty aquamarine. Toys littered all over the floor, stuffed Pokemon and quite a few toy flutes. A mobile hung above the crib, plastic Tauros dancing in circling motions.

"Oh." Yellow said. "Is this where he…"

The ball of light shifted from pink to a low purple, basking the room in an Indigo glow.

"I can take some of this with me, if you want," Yellow said.

"The spoon, on the nightstand."

Yellow stepped over to it. A wooden spoon, bent so aggressively it was nigh unusable.

"That was the first application of his psychic powers.." the voice's tone didn't quiver, but it dripped with longing. "The photo next to it…"

Yellow had heard descriptions of the clone, all of them terrifying and difficult to internalize. Now she saw Mewtwo as an infant. Smaller than she was, and purring up against the scientist posing for the photograph like a kitten with its owner. Its eyes, probably haunting when opened, were closed in contentment.

"Everyone starts out like this, huh."

"They still are. Or at least, that's what I want to believe. Do you mind if….I don't have a body. Could you cry for me?"

"Cry?" Tears that weren't hers began to leak from her eyes, tears that weren't hers. "Oh."

Yellow stood there, letting the ball of light cry for her as she gathered up what belongings it seemed the most attached to. Maybe she should have felt a little bit amused, but to her it seemed that everyone, even beings as powerful as Mew, needed time to grieve once in a while.


	41. An Uphill Climb

Finding Red in Lavender Town was like fishing for Magikarp in a barrel. After all, he was about the only thing in the whole damn town that was actually making noise. Blue leaned against the fence surrounding Mr. Fuji's modest cottage, watching Red and Kenny goad on their battling Pokemon in annoyingly loud shouts.

Kenny's Nidorina, Susan, was the aggressor, lunging and aiming kicks at Red's...Wartortle? How the hell did the kid get all three of the starters? Red's dumb luck was obnoxious sometimes.

The Wartortle, despite being a bit underleveled from what Blue could tell, was clearly a good fighter, spinning his body so that Susan's kicks slammed harmlessly against his shell. He could read his opponent well, and thus far the Nidorina hadn't managed to get past his guard.

"All right, Drax! Time for the mixup!" Red ordered, tipping his hat. The Wartortle nodded, baiting Susan for a high kick. As she fell for it, swinging for his face, his head popped into his shell, dodging her leg with ease. Susan lost her balance, and Drax used the opportunity to spin his shell low to the grass like a breakdancer, sweeping her legs out from under her with his tail.

"Blast her!" Red said, and in the next moment Drax was pelting the fallen Nidorina with a stream of deadly bubbles. She writhed around in pain until—

"Damn, got me again, champ!" Kenny said cheerfully. "Looks like your whole team can kick Susan's ass now!"

"Yeah," Blue said, prompting both Kenny and Red to look up in surprise. He walked over to them in his usual swagger, if only because he knew it would piss Red off. "I'm not sure if beating your Nidorina is much of a milestone anymore, Kenny."

Kenny took the jab in stride, guffawing. "I wouldn't say that, Blue. Susan has a few more tricks left in her, and I've been training her pretty hard lately!"

"So, did you get the Cascade Badge?" Red asked.

To ham himself up, Blue flipped back his hair and flicked open his badge case, showing off the proof of his well earned win against Misty. "Once I gave Princess a thunderstone, it was easy. Looks like we're tied up again, Red."

"No talking," Red said through gritted teeth. "We battle now." His Pikachu, always in sync, emitted a few sparks of electricity for dramatic effect.

Blue snorted, ripping off Red's hat and ruffling his hair. "Dude, we'll get to it, all right? Give me a break, I just got here."

"But I wanna fight now!" Red whined.

"Down, boy," Blue said, rolling his eyes. "Look, I brought fruit snacks. If you shut up about the battle and be good, you can have some, okay?"

"Deal!" Red cried out, and Blue tossed him a package of the snacks. Red caught it gleefully.

"Is that all you have to do to keep him content?" Kenny asked.

"Yeah, I lived in close quarters with him my whole life. You learn ways to manage him." Blue stretched out his arms, worn from the long trek from Cerulean to Lavender. "So, where am I staying?"

"With me!" Red said through a mouthful of fruit snacks. "We're gonna be bed buddies!"

"Oh joy," Blue muttered.

* * *

_I'm outside. Come meet me._

Blue didn't exactly jolt awake at the psychic message probing his sleeping brain. He had been up for a while, listening to Red snore and wondering why Fuji had seemed to avoid his questions about the clone…

He was smart enough to know the touch of an Abra when he felt it, and though the message was ominous, it was a good distraction. He hadn't exactly been sleeping well for a few days now.

Blue's feet creaked against the floorboard when he slipped out of bed, and froze as Red stirred in his sleep.

"Delilah," Red said, and he went back to snoring.

Breathing a silent sigh of relief, Blue pulled his belt of poke-balls off the dresser and slung it over his shoulder. Hesitating a moment,, he tapped the button on Princess's ball.

The Jolteon blinked dazedly, and Blue held up a finger in front of his mouth to keep her quiet, giving her a thankful wink when she seemed to understand. She padded down the creaky staircase after him, and the two were out of the house without a peep.

She was waiting for them, leaning against the porch railing.

"Hey," Green said, as though they were still in Pallet and not on opposite sides of a high scale conflict.. She wasn't wearing her Rocket uniform, but a neat blouse and skirt.

"Hey," Blue said, raising an eyebrow. "Princess, use flash."

He thrusted his elbow in front of his eyes to block the sudden blinding light that his Jolteon unleashed,

"Fuck!" Green screamed, stumbling and tripping off the porch. She hit the grass, rolling, but Blue and Princess jumped after her.

"Pin missile!" Blue ordered, and sharp points shot out from Princess's jagged fur. A direct impact could easily tear through flesh, but Princess's aim was true, and so each spike merely pinned her down by her clothes.

"Blue, what the hell is wrong with you!" Green wailed, still clutching her eyes. "I just came to talk!"

"And the last time you came to talk, I was nearly strangled to death by a snake with its name spelled backwards!" Blue growled. "Your friends better come out of hiding or I'll have Princess start using moves that actually do damage!"

"I'm serious, I came alone!" Green said. "I just missed you, okay? I didn't want to stay on such bad terms!"

"This isn't a fucking high school reunion, Green! Enough bullshitting, why are you here?"

"Look, you know we want any capable trainer on our side to combat the clone, and the boss thinks that I'm the best shot they have at convincing you. I swear that's all there is to read into."

Blue bit his lip, admitting to himself that her logic was valid. Rocket's goal was above all else to defeat the clone, and though he didn't respect their methods nor trusted their motives, Green at least wanted what was best for Kanto. Of course, that was the Green he thought he knew, at least...

Still, this was the opportune time to catch her, and if he could learn anything about Rocket while he was at it…

"I have no reason to trust you, Green, but whatever." Blue tapped the button on the poke-ball in his hand, and Princess vanished in a red light. He knelt down to pull out the pin missiles.

"Yeah, well, you better," Green snorted. "Considering you tore up my favorite top, you're lucky that I don't betray you right away."

"What do you want, Green?"

"You're no fun anymore." Green rolled her eyes. "Look, all I need you to do is hear me out, all right?"

"What, that's it?" Blue rose an eyebrow. "You really think you can turn me to your side?"

"I want to try again, at least. Will you at least let me try?"

Blue looked at her face, studying the pain in her eyes. She was definitely desperate.

"I'll humor you, Green," Blue said. "But after that, I'm turning you in."

"Yeah, yeah," Green threw up her hands in surrender, as though she had been expecting it. "Follow me."

"And where are we going?" Blue asked as he stepped in line behind her.

"Where else in this miserable town? The Pokemon Tower, of course!"

* * *

A late night stroll through most towns or cities might sound peaceful, even serene, but somehow in the dark Lavender Town's melancholy twisted itself into eeriness. As there were no lights, the glow the moonlight cast on the tall and sturdy Pokemon Tower made it look all the more impressive, especially next to the rest of Lavender's shoddy establishments.

There wasn't much banter between Green and Blue, Blue too frustrated to make conversation with her and Green annoyingly tight lipped about what exactly she wanted to show him. Blue had switched Princess out with his Kadabra, Kelloggs, who he knew would have an easy time telekinetically restraining Green if she pulled anything.

"You know, breaking into the tower is going to be a lot messier than most places," Blue drawled. "The ghosts go bananas around here."

"Yeah, but we can take them," Green said, giving him a confident smile. "You'll let me fight, right, Blueberry?"

"Don't call me that," Blue snapped. "And I'll let you battle with your Pokemon, but only because I'm curious to see your battle style. Try anything on me and I'll make sure Kelloggs pops your head open like bubble wrap."

"Sheesh, morbid." Green shuddered at the thought.

Pairs of red, shining eyes floated around them like fireflies as it became apparent that Blue and Green were going to tread on their ground. A cacophony of laughter sounded in the trainers' ears, a wide scale from giggling to hysterical cackles that didn't blend in together too well.

"Gastly," Blue noted. Despite the less than comfortable welcome they were getting, Blue and Green didn't hesitate in their march up the stone staircase leading up to the dull, mossy doors. The cold air grew colder and clouded, though the clouds were purple, so it clearly wasn't placed there by nature for dramatic effect.

"Kelloggs!" Blue barked, and from the Kadabra's eyes shone a pink light that penetrated the purple clouds. The Gastly seemed to take this as a challenge, and soon dark streaks of purple were whipping through the air, launching toward them.

Kellogs flourished his spoon, and a barrier formed around the three of them just in time for two of the ghosts to bounce against it, each hissing in pain.

Green gave a low, impressed whistle at the near miss before tossing out one of her own poke-balls. "Carmelo!"

As the Voltorb burst from his poke-ball, Green shouted to Blue. "Give us an opening!"

Blue nodded at Kellogs, who closed his eyes to concentrate. The top of the psychic dome protecting them dropped, and before the Gastly could dive into their new point of entry, Carmelo was bouncing up to meet them, humming with energy.

"Discharge!" Green said, snapping her fingers.

A wave of lightning swarmed over the ghost types, dropping fifteen or sixteen of them like stones. The remainder tried to rush the exposed Voltorb, but he had already dropped down into the safety of the barrier again, Kelloggs closing it just in time.

"We're going to need more firepower, Green!" Blue warned. Though the stairs were now littered with unconcious ghosts, just as many were materializing out of nothingness, surrounding the barrier with purple gas that probably wouldn't be too healthy to breathe in.

"Then I'd say it's high time you stopped holding back, yeah?" Green said, reaching for another poke-ball. "I saw your gym battle with Misty, I know what Princess can do."

Blue rolled his eyes. "I really can't keep my hand a secret from you, can I? Princess!"

At the sight of the Jolteon emerging from her poke-ball, Kelloggs dropped the barrier. No need to waste his power when _she_ was on the field.

Princess watched the Gasty surrounding them, maliciously licking their venomous lips, and flitted an eye back to Blue, ready for the order that she knew was coming.

"Thunder."

Princess made Carmelo's attack look like a flickering light bulb. A cloud formed, higher than the others, jet black to contrast the purple, and would be invisible in the night sky if not for the lightning dancing across it.. A crack of thunder served to echo the display of lightning slamming into the biggest group of Gastly, conducting to the others, actively hunting after the ghosts trying to escape. The lightning pirouetted around Green and Blue, slamming the stone around them to charcoal but leaving them unscathed.

They were about the only ones, unscathed, in fact. The few Gastly that hadn't been blown to kingdom come learned their message, slinking away into the shadows they had been conjured.

Princess let out a victory howl, and, grinning, Blue reached down to scratch behind her ear.

"Well," he said, turning around to a stunned Green, and feeling some satisfaction at the shock on her face. "Are you going to lead the way or not?"

"Of course," Green replied, walking past him, hiding her surprise at his skill well. "See if you can pace yourself a little, though, Blue. You don't want to waste all your Pokemons' energy before we even open the doors.

* * *

"Give... me... your... soul..."

"Blood….I need…..blood…."

Pokemon Tower purveyed an old time in its decoration, ancient insignias of legendaries marking gravestones and dotted with statues of famous Pokemon in the world's past. Kanto's more modern mindset likely would have had the giant, old eyesore torn down if it were in a less remote place, or if there was a specific legendary Pokemon the steeple promoted.

It looked like the spirit trainers were possessed again, no doubt the ghosts having found them easy to take advantage of when they were trying to contact the Pokemon afterlife. Several of the old women were walking around in a trance, stumbling over gravestones and letting out long wails.

"Well, that's creepy," Blue remarked. "You really do pick the best romantic getaways."

"You're hilarious."

"I think I was more partial to being tied up by criminals in a dank cave, but possessed old demon ladies are definitely a close second."

"Can you stop whining about my controversial decisions and help me fight them off?" Green snapped, tossing out one of her balls. "Gerald!"

"Oh, honey, I'm never going to stop whining," he said, but he obediently threw out a poke-ball of his own.

Blue didn't bother wasting Princess on the ghost trainers and the Gastly challenging them in the tower's interior. Green's Nidorino and his own Sandslash did a fine enough job, his Sandslash's sharp claws enough to tear through their gaseous bodies with ease, while the Nidorino—

"Did he just eat one of the Gastly?"

"Uh, no?" Green said innocently.

Gerald burped out a bit of purple mist.

In truth, the battling itself was a lot less taxing than the architecture of Pokemon Tower itself, as there were countless winding staircases that soon had both Green and Blue out of breath.

Green still wouldn't tell him why she had brought Blue up here in the first place, but the more floors they visited the better Blue understood the picture she was trying to paint. The death dates of the Pokemons' graves became more recent, and soon they had reached a floor where, spookily enough, all the Pokemon at rest had died the same year.

It wasn't just weak, common Pokemon either. Blue recognized many names from old reruns of league matches he had watched on television as a kid. Then of course, there she was...

Blue stared at the biggest statue he had seen so far, one of a formidable Blastoise. It was just a marble replica, but he could see simply by what was displayed in the craftsmanship that the Blastoise had reached the highest level a Pokemon could attain.

He hadn't even needed to look at the name written on the statue's foundation to recognize the Blastoise. Not after living in a home with photos of her taking up just about every wall.

"Dad's starter Pokemon," Blue said. "Green, I knew that Mewtwo killed my dad. This isn't a surprise."

"Well, it was a surprise to me!" Green said. "Look at all the Pokemon here! Did _you_ know that Agatha of the Elite Four almost lost her entire team trying to fight the clone? That the gym leaders of Celadon and Cerulean were killed alongside every Pokemon they owned?!"

"No, I didn't know that," Blue said. "Was that it? All you wanted to show me?"

Green stared at him in an appraising sort of way, whether horror-struck or simply bemused, he couldn't tell.

"That's it, huh." She said. She looked like she wanted to strangle him. "God, I knew you were stubborn but you're being…"

She seemed to be on the verge of deciding something. "We need to reach the top floor. If whatever I show you up there doesn't convince you to join Rocket, I'll turn myself in."

Blue didn't believe that for a second, but he nodded. "Lead the way, then."

* * *

Unfortunately, the next few flights were enough to break the two of them, and by the time they reached the summit their legs gave out and they found themselves sprawled on their backs, groaning in agony.

"This better be good!" Blue moaned, wincing as his Sandslash collapsed on top of him, her spikes digging into his skin. "I did not climb all the way up here for disappointment, and if I'm not satisfied I swear to Arceus I'm burning this horrible place down. I don't care if it's sacred or honorary or whatever.."

"Oh, stop being such a drama queen!" Green snapped. She tried to rise, but her weary legs screamed out in protest. "Okay, nope. I guess I live up here now."

Blue managed an exhausted chuckle. "You know. If there were any ghosts up here, we'd probably be screwed."

"Oh yeah, thoroughly," Green said, joining in on his laughter. She didn't seem very comfortable, however, in the silence that followed. "You're going to think this is stupid…"

"I think a lot of things you do are stupid," Blue said, still lying flat with no intention of rising anytime soon. "What's one more stupid thing for the woodpile?"

"Despite meeting in a nowhere town with ghosts flying around," Green said. "Despite climbing up a brutal staircase and barely being able to hold a conversation with you…"

"You may want to get to the point, Green."

"I had a lot of fun," Green said, smiling sadly at him. "I really did miss you."

"I don't think that's stupid," Blue admitted slowly.. "I've always wanted to tag battle with you. Maybe fighting possessed old ladies wasn't what I had in mind, but…"

Green snickered.

"Look, we're both going through shit," Blue said. "And we're not going to be able to have...uh...such civil interactions in the future. Probably not even within the next ten minutes. But this moment, laying side by side...let's remember it fondly, all right?"

Green reached for his hand, squeezing it. "Deal."

It turned out, the top of the Pokemon Tower was a lot less creepy, having no rows of dusty graves or raving old ladies. Devoid of any furniture beyond a row of candles that one could light in the name of the dead, the most striking features were the stained glass windows bringing the circular, cold stone walls to life with some much needed color. Blue and Green took a moment to guess each of the scenes depicted on the windows: St. Anne reaching out to touch Arceus, the twin sons of Unova locked in a vicious duel, November of Twinleaf in her days as a gladiator, standing before a crowd chanting her name...

Green was the first to rise on her feet. "As much as I want to forget about what we need to talk about…"

"Likewise," Blue said, very quietly. "But there's no use crying over it. Tell me the real reason you brought me up here, as if I didn't already know."

"Oh? You figured me out?" She offered him a hand. He didn't take it.

"Why else would you take me to a resting place for Pokemon?" Blue said, dusting himself off as he rose to his own feet. "I get it, I'm sure the clone murdered thousands of Pokemon, okay? I think you're missing the point that I'll never fall for 'end justifying means' bullshit. I'm never going to think what you're doing is okay."

Green watched impassively, as though she hadn't understood what he'd said. "Okay, Blue. I just want you to answer something. One last question."

"And that question is?"

"You told me that my solution of joining Rocket was a bad one, and that I'm only shooting myself in the foot. I asked for your solution, and you couldn't give me one. Can you give me one now?"

Blue looked at the gemstone tied to his necklace. The necklace that his father had once worn. He wondered if he'd been wearing it the day Mewtwo killed him.

"The solution is me, Green," Blue said. "'I'm going to challenge Mewtwo. No lying, no stealing, no killing. I'm going to use my badass team to beat the clone. That's it."

"Oh my god." Green was staring at him like he'd gone insane. "You really are just like Red, aren't you?"

"The difference between me and Red is I'm not a joke!" Blue spat. "I'm not blustering. Arceus, Green, why else do you think I'm here? Prodigy trainer, grandson of the most brilliant mind in Kanto. Fighting this clone is what I was born to do!"

"You weren't born to do anything, Blue!" Green shouted. "None of us are. What kind of superiority complex do you have that you think you're above any of this? The clone killed thousands of people, defeating some of the most powerful trainers in Kanto, including your own father and grandfather!"

"My dad and gramps were failures, Green! Don't you see that? I'm their redemption! I've lived my whole life training so that when the time comes my family doesn't screw up the third generation in a row!"

"This isn't about your family drama! It's about the fate of Kanto!"

"Yeah, a fate that you're fine leaving in the hands of criminals!"

Blue paused, taking a moment to breathe and calm down. "Instead, you could leave it in my hands."

"Your hands?"

"Think about it, we could just go after Mewtwo," Blue said. "With that power on our side—"

"What, you want to catch it now? I can't believe what I'm hearing!"

"Look, we all know Kanto can be shitty," Blue explained. "The whole birth of our independence came from a war that killed countless people. The way we beat Mewtwo doesn't come from war or exploitation, it comes from the innate strength of Pokemon and the ability we have to train them into something greater! You saw how powerful Princess was back there. With time to train, we could—"

"You're living in a fantasy world!" Green cried. "Blue, I'm not saying that you shouldn't get a crack at the clone, but if you do it with us—"

"I'm doing it my way, Green. I'm not working with the people who set the clone loose in the first place. Sometimes principles have to mean something!"

"Then when the world is nothing but bloodstained dust, you'll be able to say you were better than me." Green shook her head, giving him a sad sigh. "I'm sorry, Blue."

She tapped a button on her wristwatch, revealing it to be a pokegear. "Ross, Charles. It's time to initiate Hitchock. I want all of Lavender and Cerulean to be up in flames."

Stung but not very surprised, Blue narrowed his eyes. "So this was all a trap?"

"Unfortunately. Though I really did want to see you again," Green said. At that, the stained glass windows shattered as Fearows lunged through them, letting out ear-splitting squawks. Blue's Kadabra emerged from his poke-ball in time to shield his trainer from the spraying glass with his psychic powers.

"To think that you'd be brave enough to use birds against me," Blue drawled, watching them perch on the window frames, eyeing him hungrily. "I underestimated you, Green."

"What can I say, hon?" She was smirking, but Blue had known Green long enough to know she was terrified of being in such an enclosed area, surrounded by the flying rats. "I needed you over here with little old me to keep you from messing with our designs."

Sirens began to sound, faint but loud enough to be heard even all the way at the top of the tower. Whoever Green gave orders to was clearly doing their job well. Blue felt like an idiot for being so easily jerked around.

Kelloggs nodded at him, and Blue allowed himself to relax his body. He could win this.

Easily.

"Your mistake was thinking I couldn't beat you and your birdies with my hands tied behind my back." Blue's lips curled into his usual predatory smirk. "It was stupid of you to go after me alone."

"That remains to be seen," Green said, letting her own crooning grin play on her face. "I'd say it's time we established who the better battler was between us, eh? Get him, boys!"

The Fearows spread their wings, descending down as Blue stepped forward to meet them, his cocky grin as immortal as any legendary Pokemon.


	42. The Battle of Lavender Town

"Okay, okay, I'm up!" Red cried, throwing his blanket aside and jumping out of bed. "The sirens and burning houses were enough, you didn't need to electrocute me!"

"Big baby," Rocket muttered, his cheeks still sparkling from the excess electricity. "I barely even zapped you."

"What's going on?" Red cried, not bothering to change out of his pajamas but jamming his hat on his head. "What time is it?"

"Biker gang of some kind just decided to ride in here, demanding Fuji to come with them or they'd bring the whole town to ruin." Rocket climbed up onto Red's shoulder as the trainer bounded down the stairs three at a time. "What's worse, Blue and Kenny are missing."

Red winced. "That's probably a bad thing, right?"

His team was already downstairs, their expressions ranging from uneasiness to eagerness at the prospect of battle. Thor, Fuji's adopted Eevee, was writhing in Star-Lord's grip, struggling to escape.

"Come on, Mister Star! Let me at 'em!"

"I'm not going to let you get killed!" the Charmeleon rasped. "Just stay where I can see you."

Lucina fluttered in front of one of the windows, peering outside. "They have the house surrounded, Red. Fuji's doing his best to hold them off, but~"

An explosion rocked the house, an attack from a Pokemon caving in one of the walls, throwing Jackie off her feet and forcing the Butterfree to throw up a barrier to protect them from falling debris.

"Well….that," Lucina finished.

"That's not a bad thing," Red said, thinking quickly. "If they're after Fuji, we can draw them to us and keep the rest of the town safe. We each take a sector, and Lucina can protect the house if we get pushed back."

"Uh yeah," Drax said, staring in horror at the roaring motorcycles and fires illuminating the burning houses. "I've never exactly been in a pitched battle before."

"It's easy!" Groot said, wrapping his vines around a massive chunk of brick. "First, you need a shield~"

He had just enough time to raise the makeshift shield in front of them protectively before a hyper beam blasted it out of his grip. The impact threw off the beam's trajectory and missed Red's head by centimeters, striking the wall behind him with enough force to send it crumbling down.

Drax's mouth fell open in horror.

"See? Just like that!" Groot said cheerfully.

Ducking down to avoid more airborne bursts of energy and watching his team begin to shoot out counterattacks of their own, Red turned to Star-Lord. "Hey, you know that no killing rule?"

The Charmeleon looked up, still holding Thor by the scruff of the neck.

"For now I'm rescinding it. You can't hold anything back or innocent people will be hurt."

Star-Lord gave a predatory grin. "Good. Finally some real fun around here."

Red watched Star-Lord charge out of the ruined house, shooting out jets of flame as Thor egged him on, and he couldn't help but wonder if by unleashing his Chameleon onto the battlefield he was only making everything worse.

* * *

Blue rolled out of the way of the first Fearow as it lunged for him, brandishing a beak that could likely tear through skin as easily as he could tear a knife through butter. Kellogs sent a spinning psywave after the bird, telekinetically slamming it against the wall, but three more of the raptors were on them before Bluecould catch his breath.

Two of them attacked Kelloggs, the psychic weaving in between their wing attacks and drill pecks like a dance, leaving the third to descend upon Blue, wings outstretched. Carolyn, his Sandslash, wasn't going to be any help either, as she was locked in combat with Gerald, Green's Nidorino.

Green watched the fight impassively from the sidelines, her eyes daring him to make a move. Blue knew what she was doing. By overwhelming him with the flock Fearow, she ensured that he didn't have the time to throw out another poke-ball. It didn't matter how good he was if he couldn't actually use his Pokemon.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the remainder of the flock circling the shattered windows, no doubt ready to dive if he tried to escape. Green's strategy was simple but brutal.

Blue smirked as he dodged the Fearow's jabbing beak. Of course, he wouldn't be Blue Oak if he didn't have a contingency plan.

Kenny barreled up the stairs, bellowing out with his woodcutter's axe in hand. "I'm here, kid! Just like you called!"

He made it two steps towards Green before he collapsed on his knees. "Holy—that was a lot of stairs. Gimme a moment to catch my breath."

"Kenny…" Blue moaned, as the hiker flopped down on his stomach. "Dammit, Kelloggs, maybe we should've contacted Red instead."

"Seriously, he's your backup?" Green said in disbelief, raising an eyebrow. "The nearest donut shop is miles away, tubby."

"Nah, I'm not the backup." Kenny propped himself up on a shoulder, his permanent grin a bit more smug than usual. "_She _is."

At that, Susan the Nidorina bounded up the stairs behind him, not a hint of fatigue on her face. Running up Kenny's back, she used his shoulders as a springboard, somersaulting in the air and slamming both feet into the back of the Fearow who had been about to finish Blue off. There was a resounding crack as she shattered Fearow's spine.

As the bird dropped like a stone and Susan hit the floor rolling, charging for Gerald, Kenny guffawed.

"See, Blue? Told ya she still had a few tricks up her sleeve!"

Gerald kicked Carolyn away and turned just enough time to see Susan lunging at him, the Nidorina slamming into him with all her might. Carolyn sprung to her feet as well, and, plagued with two attacking Pokemon at once, Gerald was pushed back.

At the same time, Kelloggs won his little duel with his own opponents slapping them against the walls opposite one another and tossing them out a pair of windows.

Green cursed under her breath, throwing out two more poke-balls. "Carmelo! Envy!"

A Voltorb and a Jigglypuff emerged, sharing a glance and nodding before breaking into what was clearly a rehearsed routine. Envy (the Jigglypuff's name, no doubt) opened her mouth and let out a horrible screech, waves of sound attacking her opponents' eardrums. Kelloggs fell to his knees as Susan and Gerald, both having very sensitive ears, actually wailed in pain.

But, Blue realized as he whipped out a poke-ball of his own, Carmelo's ability was soundproof. Ignoring the hyper voice, he rolled forward at incredible speeds, jumping above their heads, and-

"Shock wave!" Green ordered triumphantly.

It was a smart move; shock wave never missed its target.

But that fact didn't matter, because his Jolteon had volt absorb.

Every bit of voltage Carmelo unleashed was drawn to Princess's body, running up her legs and coating her with electric aura from head to toe. The Jolteon grinned evilly, practically radiating power.

"Oh fuck!" Green spat, as a flock of Fearow swarmed around her, desperate to overwhelm Princess before she could let loose an attack.

"Thunderbolt!" Blue shouted.

Princess's jolt of lightning ripped through the Fearow, zigzagging up and leaving no bird untagged. As they dropped, smelling of roast duck, Kelloggs flicked his spoon, and a psychic force took hold of Green's body and pinned her against the wall.

"Gotcha," Blue said, stomping towards her, but froze when he saw Green's form….melting.

"What the hell?" he whispered. Green's eyes were growing further and further apart, her expression growing vacant. Her whole body was turning pink, shrinking into a sludge.

"Ditto!" the pink being cried.

"Ha!" came Green's voice, from above Blue's head. "Decoy!"

There, atop a Fearow was Green, pale and scared stiff but clearly holding herself together with sheer will. She was diving down, a sparkling black stone in her hand. Was that a Moonstone?

"Gerald!" She threw the stone, and it sailed over Blue's head.

"No!" Blue cried, turning around. The Nidorino tossed Susan aside and filipped Carolyn over his head, charging towards the falling stone, practically drooling with excitement…

Only for a hand to reach out and snatch it out of the air.

"Huh," Kenny said, rising to his feet, his exhaustion apparently a lie. "Tubby's got some moves, eh?"

"No!" Green cried, urging her Fearow to dive down, but a thunderbolt from Princess forced her to swerve out of her intended path to dodge.

"Sorry, Green! But you probably shouldn't have waited so long to use this!" Kenny said, tipping his hat off to her. "Susan!"

He tossed the stone to his Nidorina, who caught it in her mouth.

Gerald let out a guttural roar, charging at Susan with could only be described as unadulterated rage, but Susan knocked him flat with a fist she hadn't possessed before. She grew in size, tearing apart the roof under her massive shoulders.

Now, exposed in the open night with a flock of surprised Fearow swarming around her, Susan the Nidoqueen beat her fists against her chest and let out a roar of her own, echoing across all of Lavender Town.

* * *

Rocket balanced on top of the roof of Fuji''s cottage, surveying the battle and doing his best to listen in with his sensitive ears.

Fortunately, there only seemed to be two major struggles going on at the moment. The gang of bikers seemed to want to go after specific targets in favor of laying waste to the whole town.

Something was roaring from the top of the Pokemon Tower (Rocket was staying as far away from there as possible) but the majority of the bikers were doing battle with Red and his Pokemon around the perimeter of the cottage.

Each of the burly men had dismounted their motorcycles, releasing their whole teams against Red's Pokemon. With a start Rocket noticed the biggest and meanest of the lot was battling Mr. Fuji himself, Poliwrath against Marowak.

Fuji clearly knew what he was doing, as his Marowak dodged and spun around its bone to deflect blows from the Poliwrath's powerful arms, but the frequent super effective attacks were beginning to get past his guard.

With Fuji separated from Red, the old man would be easy pickings for capture. There was nothing for it. They'd need to close the distance and bring down that Poliwrath.

Any further thought was interrupted by Jackie slamming into him, sending both Pikachu and Mankey head over heels. The Weezing who had thrown her floated above their heads, spitting out toxic balls of sludge.

Rocket gave Jackie a confident grin, before they separated, rolling in different directions to dodge the blobs of poison, which melted the roof wherever it touched. Jumping to his feet, Rocket sent out pulsing blasts of lightning that sent the Weezing reeling, though it seemed more annoyed than hurt.

"Rocket!" Jackie lifted up a massive chunk of debris and hurled it over her head like one would a soccer ball. Rocket jumped and spun, swinging his tail like a baseball bat to slam it at the Weezing.

With a satisfying crunch, the brick exploded on impact, inciting a deep cry of pain from the Weezing. A moment later Jackie had closed the distance, pouncing on the poison type and locking her legs around it. Letting out a warcy, she rained down blows, the Weezing flying around erratically, desperately trying to shake her off.

Content that Jackie had the Weezing handled, Rocket slid down the roof and jumped to the porch below, hesitating at the pair of Rhyhorns lumbering forward to meet him, a trio of Graveler waiting behind them. He was saved by Lucina, however, who teleported in front of him and sent one of the Rhyorns sliding back with a wave of psychic energy.

She turned to Rocket as she began to shake her wings. "You better not breathe this in."

A sleep powder rained down on the Pokemon as Rocket quickly covered his nose. The Rhyhorns, not catching on in time, dropped to the grass, snoring. Lucina chuckled at her own brilliance.

The Gravellers learned from their comrades' mistake, covering their own mouths, but Groot sprinted to meet them, immune to the sleep powder thanks to his grass typing. Wrapping his vines around their rocky bodies, he slammed two of the Graveler's bodies together and threw them aside, before pelting the third with razor leaves.

"Don't worry, Rocket, we have the house locked down," Lucina said, launching a Pidgeotto back with a psybeam. "Go help Fuji!"

Rocket nodded, jumping over Groot's head as he wrestled an Electabuzz to the ground with his vines and sprinting as fast as his tiny legs could carry them. Up ahead, Fuji's Marowak had fallen to its knees…

Star-Lord was, as usual, having the time of his life, fighting a Magmar with one hand, the other holding Thor the Eevee close to his chest. Rocket risked a glance to see Star slam his elbow into the Magmar's stomach, causing it to fall to its knees, moaning and coughing out smoke.

Star-Lord sauntered over to the badly injured Magmar, holding Thor out in front of it to let the little guy have the killing blow. The Magmar looked at the Eevee weakly.

"Ya!" Thor cried, slamming his head against the Magmar's, finishing him off.

"Good form, kid," Star drawled, before turning to face his next opponent.

Still chuckling, Rocket continued his charge to Fuji's side, bringing down a Dodrio with a lightning bolt when it leapt out at him. He ran into Drax, who was flooring a Pinsir with a devastating skull bash.

"I need to get to that Poliwrath," Rocket said, holding the Wartortle steady, who was still grinning dazedly from the head trauma. "Want to try out that technique Red's been teaching us."

"Hell yeah!" Drax said, shaking out of his stupor. "This is gonna be badass!"

A moment later, Rocket was balancing on Drax's shell like a skateboard, the Wartortle tucked into his shell and shooting out a stream of water to propel them forward. Using his hips to steer, Rocket swerved around a Scyther's swinging blade.

The Marowak had fallen, curled into fetal position. The Poliwrath knelt before it, forming a water pulse in its hand to finish it off…

"Now, Drax! Switch from shower to soaker!"

"I'm not a fucking garden hose, dude!" was Drax's indignant response, but the water pressure increased nonetheless. Flipping off Drax's shell just in time, Rocket watched it shoot off the ground and hit the Poliwrath right between its eyes. The shell ricocheted, and poor Drax pulled his head out of his shell just in time to land on it.

"Owww…." Drax moaned.

"Sorry, buddy!" Rocket winced in sympathetic pain. "I can handle the rest from here. Why not get some ice on that?"

The Poliwrath, now sporting a welt on his face, wheeled on the Pikachu, fortunately giving the Marowak time to drag itself to Fuji's side. Rocket gulped at the sight of the massive, fully evolved Pokemon stomping towards him, its gloved hands shimmering with power.

"What's a useless little Pikachu gonna do to me?" the Poliwrath asked rhetorically. "I'm Charles' star Pokemon, best fighter in Southern Kanto."

"The useless little Pikachu is going to use the most useless move he has," Rocket snapped. A sudden, burning light shone from the Pikachu's body, so intense it caused Poliwrath to howl and shield his eyes. A moment later he was writhing on the grass, Rocket's thunderbolt landing a direct hit on an easy target.

"Flash, bitch," Rocket said, with a strong sense of satisfaction. He may not have been the strongest Pokemon in the world, but he sure as hell knew how to improvise.

"Not bad, little mousey." Rocket's ear twitched. He turned.

The Poliwrath's trainer, no doubt Charles, was holding a knife to Fuji's throat. "But I think it's time you backed off."

Rocket hissed, but Charles slid the knife close enough for a drop of blood to spill from Fuji's neck, causing the old man to whimper. The Marowak was lying, unconscious, next to him.

"Well, fuck, I'm not _that _good at improvising," Rocket growled to himself, wondering how in hell they were gonna get out of this one.


	43. Code Indigo

Green was probably screwed.

A Nidoqueen was standing on top the ruined top floor of Lavender Tower, swatting Green's Fearow out of the sky King Kong style. All the while, the Nidoqueen's trainer, Kenny, was watching the carnage with a satisfied grin, sipping his mug of coffee. Green had no Pokemon in her arsenal that could even hope to challenge a Pokemon that big and powerful. Even her superior numbers were meaningless.

Green's Pokemon were battling against Blue's, the pairs dancing around the Nidoqueen's feet, but Blue was essentially toying with them at this point. Gerald had gone berserk, frustrated that he had lost his chance at evolution, and was recklessly charging Princess over and again. The Jolteon made a game of dodging his attacks and giggling as he kept crashing.

Blue's Kadabra, Kelloggs, was using his psychic power to bounce Envy up and down like a rubber ball, the poor Jigglypuff even emitting squeaky sounds each time she hit the floor to perfect the simile.

And Carmelo? He was left to battle Blue's Sandslash, who he couldn't even damage thanks to his typing. Their 'battle' had been reduced to the Voltorb running around in circles, the Sandslash clawing at his proverbial heels.

Her Ditto was still unconscious.

Of course, the result didn't surprise her too much. She liked to think she had trained her team well, but Blue's Pokemon had been raised to challenge the Pokemon league, and had won grueling matches against gym leaders; the most skilled trainers in Kanto. It made sense her team was outclassed here.

The cherry on top was the fact that she was riding her greatest fear, its disgusting feathers tickling her thighs and its ugly beak glinting in the moonlight. Every beat of its wings was a pang of anxiety for Green, and at this point she was so focused on not fainting that she could hardly pay attention to the battle.

When the Nidoqueen caught a passing Fearow and snapped its neck with a jerk of her wrist, Green decided enough was enough.

"Return!" Green ordered, recalling her Pokemon back to their balls. She hesitantly leaned down to speak to her Fearow. "Pull me out, we're leaving."

The Fearow twisted its neck 180 degrees to stare at her.

What happened next wasn't Green's proudest moment. She screamed, lost her balance, and fell off the bird.

Now hurtling towards the grass quite a few stories below her, Green had the brief comforting knowledge that this was still preferable to flying on a Fearow's back.

Then her body jerked up as a hand caught her ankle. She looked up to see Blue straining to hold on to her, on the back of a bigger and higher leveled Fearow than the rest.

"Great dive, Hawkeye!" Blue grunted as the Fearow flapped down to the earth below. "Record breaking response time!"

"Thanks for the save, Blue," Green said, taking a deep breath of relief. The moment she calculated she was close enough to the ground to not become a bloodstain if she crashed against it, she kicked out of his grip and hit the grass rolling.

"Abra!" Green shouted, whipping out a Poke-ball. "Teleport!"

"Oh no you don't!" Blue drawled, jumping off Hawkeye's back. "Sheldon, ice shard!"

Two streaks of blue flew out from a Shellder sitting on Blue's shoulder. One struck the Abra in the stomach, knocking the poor thing over. Green threw up her hands protectively in front of her face to block the second….but besides a strange combination of a burning hot and freezing cold sensation, it didn't hurt…

"You really didn't think I was letting you get away with the disappearing Abra trick again, did you?" Blue sneered, marching up to her. He patted the Shellder on his shoulder affectionately. "Ice shard has priority, even over instantaneous movement. In fact, the attack we just hit you with was a technique Sheldon and I specifically crafted to capture you. I'd be flattered."

Green looked down at her hands and cursed. Amazingly, the ice had formed handcuffs around them, tight but not painful. She strained at them, but the ice slowly spread, rising up her forearms.

"Yeah, fight it and the ice will work up your body faster." Blue was close to her now, reaching out with his hands. "Look, stop being an idiot and come with me. There's no use fighting anymore."

Green hesitated. What was a girl with her arms restrained to do in this situation? There was only one thing for it.

"Sorry about this," she said, giving him a sheepish grin. She spun, swinging a kick that met Blue's stomach and knocked him flat. She pivoted on her foot as it dug against the grass and sprinted off, ducking and jumping over a few icy blasts that Sheldon the Shellder sent after her.

She gave a guilty little wince at the stream of curses Blue let loose behind her, but she had to focus. She poured on the speed, charging for where she knew Mr. Fuji lived.

"Charles, you better have captured the old man by now," Green hissed, trying to keep her breathing even. "Or we're all screwed!"

* * *

"The old man's been captured!" Rocket shouted, sprinting to Red's side as he walked across Fuji's now scorched backyard, planning on directly confronting the gang leader himself. "We're screwed!"

"The situation's bad but not hopeless," Red said, trying to be soothing. "He may hold Fuji at knifepoint, but thanks to you guys he has no firepower left. If we can convince him to stand down…"

Indeed, the gang of bikers looked far less scary without their Pokemon to defend them, and they shied away from Red and his team as they approached, edging for their motorcycles. Red ignored them, but Star-Lord playfully snapped his jaws at their cowering forms, inciting whimpers of fear.

Only the leader himself seemed to be without fear, though Red noticed his grip on his knife tighten. He definitely felt pressured, that was for sure…

"Not another step!" the leader growled. "You want to parlay? We can do it from a distance."

Red froze, raising his hands in surrender. "We can work this out. Let the old man go and run for the hills. We'll call it a compromise. You and your men go free."

Red watched him bite his lip, clearly weighing his options. For a moment, Red was sure he'd take the deal.

"Don't you dare, Chuck! I didn't get my ass kicked by Blue, ride a demon bird, and then fall off said demon bird, to watch you let Fuji go!"

Red turned to the direction of the familiar voice so quickly he gave himself whiplash. "Green?"

She was running toward them, a fierce expression on her face despite the icy cuffs trapping her hands. She stopped dead when she saw Red, though.

"Red." She tried for a smile. "It's um….good to see you again."

"Likewise," Red said, awkwardly adjusting the hat on his head. "You look good."

"Yeah so do you." Her eyes glanced down to what he was wearing. "Nice...pajamas?"

"Oh, yeah, thanks, I would've dressed up quicker, but you were burning down the town and all."

"Green, I don't think now is the time for small talk!" the bike leader shouted. "We need to get out of here."

"Right, no kidding." Green glanced over her shoulder. "Blue's right behind me. It's time for phase two."

"Yeah, no. No phase two. Stop that." Red nodded at Rocket, and the Pikachu crouched down in a fighting stance, static erupting from his cheeks. The rest of his team prepared for attack as well. "Green, I really don't have to use physical force on you, but you're not giving me much choice."

Green gave him the patronizing smile she always did when she knew the answer to a test question he didn't. "Sorry, Red. But you're not fighting me today."

She nodded up at the sky. "You'll be fighting _them._"

Red stared off at the horizon, noting dozens of shadows growing closer. "Wait, are those….Fearow?"

"Trust me, I'm sick of them too," Green grumbled in disgust.

It wasn't just Fearow, Red noticed. The birds were being led by a hot air balloon designed to resemble a Meowth's face. Laughing in almost comical maniacal laughter were a man and man woman wearing Rocket uniforms, the man with blue hair looking strangely familiar. A Meowth was dancing between them,

"Prepare for trouble!" the woman said, striking a ridiculous pose.

"And make it double!" the man posed as well, equally ridiculous. A rose seemed to have materialized in his hand.

"Who….who are these guys?" Red asked.

"Oh trust me, you'll know their names by the end of the motto," Green muttered.

"To protect the world from devastation!" the woman chanted.

"To unite all people within our nation!" the man echoed.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Seriously," Green moaned. "They'll go on forever if you don't stop them. And they wrote up about a dozen of these damn things. I find their rough drafts everywhere."

Fearow swooped down in great numbers around the hot air balloon and still chanting duo inside it, some lunging for Red's team, but many landing to give the bikers a lift.

"All right, boys, we're leaving!" Green ordered. "Not all the birds made it out of the fight with Blue, so some of us are going to have to carpool! Er...birdpool? You get my point!"

Red cursed. "Oh no you don't!" He made to run for them, but a Fearow slammed into him, throwing him to the ground. Rocket blasted the bird with a thunderbolt and managed to knock it out, but by then the bike leader had managed to swing Fuji over his shoulder like a bag of flower and take off on a Fearow, Green's cuffed hands wrapped around his waist.

"All right, James!" the woman in the hot air balloon snapped. "Hit the kid with the rocket launcher!"

"Why, with pleasure, Jessie," James said, hoisting a massive bazooka over his shoulder.

"Sweet Arceus, why do you have something like that?" Red cried, backpedaling.

"We're called Team Rocket for a reason, twerp!" Jessie spat.

James let out a giddy little laugh, aiming the rocket launcher. "Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

A lightning bolt arched over Red's shoulder, blasting the weapon out of James' hand and causing him to scream out in surprise.

Blue sauntered over, Princess the Jolteon at his side and his usual shit-eating grin on his face. "Meowth, that's right."

"Uh, dude, I'm jazzed you just saved my life and all," Red said, scratching his head. "But why did you say that in a Brooklyn accent?"

"Green got me really good back there," Blue muttered, rubbing his chest and ignoring Red. "So I think I'm gonna take my anger out on you two!"

"Venom! Show them a thing or two!" Jessie shouted.

"Explosive, go, this battle's all on you!" James flourished.

Their Weezing and Arbok sprung at them, poisonous fumes and venomous fangs posed to strike, but Blue actually yawned as he lazily tossed out his Poke-ball.

His Kadabra gave a quick swish of his spoon, and the two Pokemon collided against one another, compelled by a psychic force. The Kadabra mimicked a pushing motion, and the two Pokemon were thrown into the carriage of the balloon, the impact of it knocking it off course.

"Princess, pin missile!" Blue ordered, and his Jolteon bristled, casting out a volley of her spikes. They punctured the balloon where they landed, and soon Jessie and James were screaming as the rapidly deflating balloon carried them off their charted course, the Meowth figurehead now looking very wrinkled and sad.

Red stared at Blue as he casually returned his Pokemon to their balls. It was clear to him that a battle between them right now wouldn't do him any good...it was obvious who would win…

"Red, they got Fuji, we need to catch up." Blue replaced the Pokemon he had on the field with his Fearow, and climbed on his back. "I'll take Hawkeye. Do you have a flying Pokemon, or do you need a ride?"

Red suddenly smiled as an idea sprung to his mind. "No, I think I figured out my own way."

"Eh? The hell are you blathering on about this time?"

Red reached into his bag, rifling through it. "Well…

"Have you ever watched _E.T._?"

* * *

"Dammit, Scott, do you realize that if I don't get that prototype, Kanto's doomed?!"

Sabrina, who was standing outside the door to Giovanni's office, had learned long ago that it was best not to disrupt him when he was on the phone. He had a terrible temper, after all.

Judging by his gesticulation and the occasional spittle flying from his mouth, Giovanni was having a particularly rotten time of it. His conversations with Scott Silph, owner of the Silph company, had gotten much more hostile as of late, and though this likely meant bad news for Rocket's effort to combat the clone, Sabrina couldn't help but feel a tinge of satisfaction at the thought that the meek old man was finally standing up to Giovanni. He had been strong-armed by his threats and influence for years now.

Whatever Scott's response was, it only made Giovanni angrier. Firing back a threat, he slammed the phone onto the receiver. Sabrina glided in.

"Worst timing in the world," Giovanni growled as soon as he caught sight of her. "We've had a partnership with the Silph Company for over a decade, and now Scott's getting cold feet just when we need him most. If only he could see that I have the clone cornered, if I just had his—."

He broke off. "What are you here for, Sabrina? I assume it's bad news."

"The worst news, actually," Sabrina said, chuckling despite herself. "The ninja stationed at Celadon's borders reported in with a Code Indigo."

"The Elite Four? Here?" Giovanni raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"All four of them. Led by the Champion himself. Marching on this hideout as we speak."

Giovanni didn't flare up in anger like she'd expected, but raised a hand to rub his chin. "So Sam Oak actually has the balls to challenge me then, eh? As much as I'd like to put him down, the chances of fighting off the top five trainers in Kanto at once…"

"What order should I give the men?" Sabrina asked. "Stand and fight or retreat with their Abras?"

Giovanni hesitated. "How is Project Substitute panning out?"

"Green Leif's operation?" Sabrina closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment, searching for mental contacts to link with. "Well, Philip Fuji's been secured. Green and her men are escaping Lavender Town with him, chased by Blue Oak and a kid wearing red. The effort to capture Bill Sonezaki is still pending."

Giovanni nodded. "Order the men to stand and fight, to hold off the Elite Four as long as possible. We need Oak occupied while I intercept Blue and Red."

"Intercept?" Sabrina's eyes shot open in surprise. "With all due respect, wasn't the whole point of Project Substitute to remain discreet?"

"Sabrina, the Elite Four is about to break down my damned doors," Giovanni said through gritted teeth. "The time to be discreet is over. I need Fuji, I need Sonezaki, and I need the game changer Silph is clutching close to the chest. If I have to sacrifice men to achieve that, I'll do it, even an entire base of operations.

"And," Giovanni cleared his throat, a tinge of red illuminating his cheeks. "It's about time I met my godson."

"Then I'll be your getaway driver." Sabrina gave a short, mocking curtsey. "But I find it very sad to watch the most powerful man in Kanto be so willing and eager to sacrifice so many men without batting an eye."

Despite the criticism, a smile tugged on Giovanni's lips as he stood. He grabbed his cane so he could favor his bad leg. "You know, Sabrina, if you despise me so much, I really do wonder why you continue to be my most faithful ally."

Sabrina walked to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder, preparing to teleport.

"Because Rocket is fated to win."


	44. Scattered Jellybeans

It was easy to get lost in Celadon City's nightlife. Though Celadon was not as big as Saffron, it was more populous, serving as the headquarters for all things entertainment in Kanto. The many pedestrians bustling down the streets blended next to the neon lights brightening the city, advertising movies, restaurants, hotels, and all sorts of attractions.

But even Rocket Game Corner, the loudest and brightest establishment of them all, wasn't flashy enough to draw away attention from the three emissaries of the Elite Four, and the people were quick to part for them.

The old woman, Agatha, was the plainest in appearance, wearing a simple purple dress. Still, her sharp eyes and thin, cruel grin was enough for everyone to give her a wide berth. Her cane rapped against the pavement methodically, almost hypnotically.

Khan Lance, the dragon master and the most powerful of the Elite Four, was far more outlandish. His shock of red hair aside, the ceremonial Johtian garbs and the long black cape demanded attention. His stride was with purpose and confidence, and his own smile was not cruel but knowing, as though he understood his powerful presence and reveled in it.

Professor Samuel Oak did not smile but grimace, and despite his more subdued and disarming appearance, he was the most famous of the three. It was his presence that incited whispers among the people watching. The ultra ball he clutched in his hand didn't exactly ease the mumblings either.

Finally the revelry was broken when a man pushed through the crowd, lunging for the trio. He wore civilian clothes, but the pair of long kitchen knives in his hands threw away any semblance of subtlety.

Oak hadn't even finished turning around when an arrow embedded itself into the attacker's forehead. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Screams rang out, drowning the city as people practically trampled one another to escape the scene of the murder. Oak, however, simply raised an eyebrow and approached the corpse.

Staring pityingly for a moment at the fallen man, Oak looked up to the direction the bolt had come from. "Excellent aim as usual, Erika. But did you have to kill him? You're the resident expert of incapacitation, aren't you?"

Agatha scoffed. "_Soft."_

Wearing a traditional Johtian kimono and a sweet smile, Erika looked very out of place emerging from a dark alleyway with a bow in hand. Another arrow was in the drawstring, as though she were worried that the man she felled would rise from the dead.

"Unfortunately, the ninja are equipped with suicide pills to take when they're captured," Erika said cloyingly, stepping up to the man and kicking him so he rolled on his back. "I don't like them to die like that with their pride intact, so I shoot them through their foreheads to make them look like unicorns. It's much more embarrassing for them that way."

Oak involuntarily shuddered in disgust, but Lance seemed more alarmed by Erika's implications than her ruthlessness.

"So, this _was_ Koga's doing?" he asked. "It seems your contact in Cinnabar was correct, Sam."

"Which means that Rocket's true headquarters are indeed here," Oak said grimly. "For better or for worse, we've come to the right place."

"_For better or worse," _Agatha repeated mockingly. "As though Rocket has anything that could even scratch the three most powerful trainers in Kanto. Even if one of us is an old fool."

"Will you lay off me for one second?" Oak snapped. "Erika, if you knew about Rocket's occupation here…"

"Why didn't I do anything about it?" Erika asked. She giggled. "You Kantonians have no sense of subtlety. One doesn't accomplish anything by challenging a criminal organization and getting oneself killed, or risking what intel you give falling on the wrong ears. By staying quiet, you learn so much more, and besides…"

Her grin widened. "Why would I deprive myself of the spectacle of the Elite Four in action in my city? I trust Lorelei and Bruno are here as well?"

"Guarding the east and west borders of Celadon respectively," Oak said. "No one gets in, and no one goes out."

"Which leaves the rest of us to tackle that eyesore." Lance grinned, pointing up at the loud, blazing lights advertising the Rocket Game Corner.

"Agatha, you're our backup," Oak said. "Keep watch and make sure anyone who tries to escape is detained."

"Wonderful," Agatha said. "You finally give us something to do, and I'm to wait the whole thing out while you get all the glory? Typical, you old coot."

"I'd offer my own services." Erika said, giving them a short bow. "But I'd imagine you have this handled."

"Just be on standby in case things go south," Oak said. "I'd prefer the support of Celadon's gym leader and militia before I use my secret weapon."

Leaving the women behind, Oak and Lance held their Poke-balls at the ready as they strided up to the Rocket Game Corner.

"Do you have a plan of attack?" Oak asked curiously as Lance's pace quickened.

"In a manner of speaking." Lance clicked the button on his ball, and after the bright flashing light that followed, his Dragonite let out a rumbling roar that drowned the city out with ease.

"Erika has a point about you Kanto types lacking subtlety." Lance looked back over his shoulder to give Oak his signature roguish grin. "But I've never been one for espionage myself."

Snapping back to his Dragonite, who was looking determinedly at the Game Corner, smoke unfurling from her nostrils, he pounded his hand into an open fist. "Tatsuya, use hyper beam!"

* * *

"Patrick, create a whirlpool! Shuriken, bubblebeam!"

Cerulean City, ordinarily one of Kanto's jewels, now more closely resembled crushed rocks. Screams rang out in the air as Golbats unleashed supersonic attacks at fleeing crowds. Some of the men who had started the riot were tossing chairs into the burning bar they were no longer sober enough to be contained in, while others shook poor teenagers for money.

The rest, luckily enough, were fighting a losing battle against Misty.

Her Staryu, Patrick, was spinning around in a massive whirlpool of his own design, easily entrapping the weaker of the Pokemon the men attacking had sent out; mainly Zubat and Rattata. Meanwhile, her Starmie, Shuriken, took on the more aggressive and powerful Pokemon, and was just now pelting and downing a Pinsir with a stream of bubbles.

It was easy to tell the narrative that these terrorists were crafting. Supposedly they were just hooligans, a biker gang who had rolled in, had too much to drink, and were getting just a little too aggressive with the city. But their odd uniformity and cohesion in their attacks, the way they targeted specific landmarks, and the strange way they seemed to be surrounding Misty, as though intending to trap her...

They were too good to be a drunk group of thugs. Which was why she was screaming into her Pokegear.

"Jaune, I'm telling you, you need to get to Bill Sonezaki's house! I think these guys may be Rocket!"

"_We're not being paid to get into bar fights, love. We're supposed to be guarding the clone, no? Can't you clean this problem up yourself?"_

"Just because I'm a gym leader, doesn't mean I can be everywhere at once!" Misty snarled. A bolt of lighting from an enemy Electrode actually forced her to bend her body down to dodge it, her orange hair falling over her eyes.

"Shuriken, use psychic!" Misty shouted as she dove to the pavement, rolling away from another electric attack. "Eight o'clock!"

She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, smirking at the electric screech that told her that her Starmie had hit her target.

"Jaune, if you don't get your ass in gear right now I will march all the way over to where you're camping out and drag you over here by your ear!" Misty snapped.

"_Aww, but it's movie night! We even moved the projector so the clone could watch too!"_

Misty's biting retort turned to a gasp as her two Pokemon cried in pain, a psychic force overcoming their own telekinetic abilities and slamming them together. As Patrick and Shuriken collapsed, Misty whipped around to see someone saunter towards her, a Slowbro at his side.

Oddly enough she recognized his mop of green hair and cruel gaze, an expression his Slowbro shared.

"Jaune," she said into the pokegear. "The situation's worse than I thought. I need you at Bill's pronto."

She hadn't been able to keep a note of fear out of her voice, and Jaune apparently noticed, as he offered a quick confirmation, an assurance that all would be well, and proceeded to hang up.

She pushed down any hesitation she had in her addressment to this new adversary. "To think that a group of thugs would get an 'A' ranked trainer on their side."

"Oh, come off it, squirt," the man said with a dry smile. "Let's drop the pretenses. You know what we're here for.

"And besides, a little rodent stole my trainer card." He nodded at his Slowbro, and the Pokemon stepped forward. "So I ain't technically an A ranked no more."

"Well, unauthorized use of Pokemon, then," Misty said, her hand creeping to her belt. "That's just stacking offenses on top of each other, isn't it? You're going to be in jail for a long time, Proton."

"Oh, no doubt. But there's a few things I have planned before that day comes." Proton ran a hand through his hair. "Someone's using my trainer card, and I intend to find them. So don't get too mad if I kick your ass out of my way, mermaid."

"You're not the only 'A' ranked trainer here," Misty growled. "Tempest!"

A Gyarados emerged from her thrown ultra ball, standing higher than some of the buildings. It leaned its head down next to Misty, leering at the Slowbro and letting out a low rumble of a growl.

"Stupid enough to challenge a gym leader at her best? You'll pay for that!"

But as Tempest let out a pulsing blast of energy and Proton's Slowbrow threw up a barrier to block against it, Misty couldn't help but notice that by getting bogged down in single combat in a burning city, she was playing right into Rocket's hands.

* * *

Shivering and eating his way through jars of jelly beans like his life depended on it, Bill Sonezaki curled up in a tight ball as he watched the flickering light of his television. News of the attack on Cerulean….God, was the damage really that bad?

A sudden knocking on the door had Bill drop his jar in surprise. It shattered, jellybeans spilling all over his carpet. He wondered only for a moment whether he was brave or stupid enough to answer it before the door was kicked open.

"Arceus!" Bill cried, grabbing a poke-ball and holding it out defensively in front of him. "What was the point of knocking if you were going to break in anyway?"

A man stepped into his house like he owned it, revolver in hand, pointed at Bill's chest. He was wearing a tattered Rocket uniform, and the stubble on his chin told Bill he hadn't shaved in a few days. The man flashed Bill an amused smile.

"No need to be too rude, is there? Name's Ross. I'd drop the Poke-ball if I were you, but it's your choice if you think you can send out a Pokemon before I shoot you dead."

Ross put his fingers to his mouth and whistled, and soon an entire entourage was invading his house, rooting through his desk and computers and raiding his pantry. Two of them marched up to Bill and grabbed him by the arms, dragging him over to Ross.

"Hey!" Bill cried weakly, as one of the Rockets found his jellybean stash. "Don't touch those!"

"First rule of Kanto, Sonezaki. If you're not strong enough to protect what's yours, it ain't yours," Ross drawled. "Not that I'm complaining. This is the easiest kidnapping job I ever had."

"Well, capturing me isn't going to do you any good!" Bill snapped. "I gave up my adminship to the PSS! You think I just sat here like a sitting Ducklett with your ninjas hanging around?"

"We're not here to steal Pokemon from random trainers, Billy," Ross said, patting Bill's shoulder patronizingly. "We want _you. _Particularly your hacking skills. Boss would've had you sooner if it didn't risk compromising him."

"What makes you think I'll ever cooperate with you!" Bill hissed, though the fear in his voice didn't sound very convincing.

Ross raised an eyebrow, before breaking off into wheezing laughter. "The fact that you'll crack faster than an Exeggcute in Spring? I'm amazed you haven't pissed yourself already—"

His taunt turned into a curse as a gunshot rang, and blood splattered all over his face. Bill felt the iron grip on one of his arms slacken, and stared in surprise as one of the Rockets restraining him collapsed, blood pouring from his head and staining his hardwood floor...

"Get down!" Ross snarled, and he tackled Bill as gunfire shattered the windows and glass rained down. Hitting the floor, Bill didn't hesitate, kicking Ross in the head and crawling over to his Poke-ball…

"Rgh, Clementine, use stun spore!" Bill heard Ross cry behind him, and suddenly his limbs gave out and Bill's chin collided painfully with the floor.

Completely paralyzed, Bill fell limp. He felt someone kick him on his back, and he gazed dazedly at the wreckage of his home.

Two of the Rockets were lying, dead, and the remaining ones were shooting back through the now ruined windows and open door, though apparently by their grunted frustrations, they didn't know where to aim. Ross, nursing a bloody nose, was leaning over Bill, a Parasect at his side.

"Well, now I have something to complain about," he growled, and pulled out a Pokegear, dialing a quick number. "Greenie, we're pinned down. Any chance we can get aerial support?"

At the girl's garbled response, Ross cursed again. "On our own, eh? Wonderful. I knew this was a suicide mission."

Despite the perilous situation, Ross's grin was relaxed.

"You better hope we make it out of this. Because your knights in shining armor are more likely to kill you by accident than save you."

* * *

Jaune saw one more of the Rockets fall to the Hellhounds' fire before the few remaining managed to finally slam the door, blocking the interior of Bill Sonezaki's house from view. They were also clever enough to duck beneath their windows, leaving Jaune's men with no targets.

"Alright, Hellhounds, advance!" he shouted, raising his hand and making a directive movement. At once his men emerged from behind the trees dotted around Cerulean cape, automatic rifles in hand, trained on Bill's cottage.

Jaune whistled an old Kalosian tune, spinning his pistol in his hand as he set off fearlessly towards the cottage, his Houndoom Fenrir and his Mightyena Cerberus fell in alongside him, letting out low growls.

"Going to kill Rouge," Jaune muttered, stopping at the steps leading up to the porch. "Idiot could've taken Bill's head off."

"In fairness, Rouge is the best sharpshooter I've ever known. She probably wouldn't have missed."

Jaune turned, raising an eyebrow at his second-in-command and oldest friend Gris harrying up to him. He was getting on in years now, and despite trying to hide it he was panting beneath his long beard.

"Stand down, will you?" Jaune snapped. "I'm young and spry; they attack us by surprise and I can move out of the way. They shoot at you and we're going to be dragging you home with a gut wound."

"I've been at this a lot longer than you, son," Gris said. He leveled his rifle at an open window. "They know they're screwed, or their counterattack would be more aggressive. They're waiting to see the whites of our eyes before they attack."

"Which was what I was trying to ascertain," Jaune muttered, almost petulantly, as Gris marched up the porch steps.

The old man slammed the butt of his gun against the door. Immediately a Rocket lunged out from a window, gun in hand, but Rouge's aim was true, and one gunshot later and the Rocket was dropping like a stone before he could even pull the trigger.

Gris snickered, banging on the door again, hard enough to chip the wood. This time, there was no response.

Jaune cleared his throat. Now to press the advantage.

"I can see that, amateurish and thuggish as you are, you're smart enough to recognize patterns! We have snipers aimed at your open windows, and I can assure you that you'll be shot before you can aim any guns or Xerneas forbid try to throw out a Poke-ball. But I offer you a chance for redemption.

"Open the front door, and walk out in a single file, hands on your heads. My friend on the porch will ensure Bill Sonezaki is safe. Follow these instructions and we'll let you live!"

Jaune turned to his Hellhounds, who still had their guns locked on the cottage and gave his orders in a harsh whisper. "Soon as you see black uniforms, open fire. We're not being paid to bring in anyone alive but Sonezaki."

The Rockets didn't seem to buy Jaune's honeyed words. Whether they were smart enough to see through him, or stupid enough to not fear death or believe they actually stood a chance, or simply desperate, the Rockets didn't surrender. Bill's door was kicked open, and four of them poured out, poke-balls in hand.

Rouge sniped one as soon as his feet hit the porch, and Gris smacked another upside the head with the butt of his rifle, leaving the remaining two to face about a dozen automatic rifles pointed at them. Needless to say, the ensuing scene wasn't pretty.

"Cerberus, Fenrir! Finish off who's ever still inside!" Jaune ordered, and his two dogs bounded up onto Bill's porch and leaped over his ruined door, barking all the while.

The barks soon faded without any screams or shouts of pain, and Jaune narrowed his eyes. Ordering his Hellhounds to stay back, he and Gris followed the dogs with guns in hand.

"Well, good news is that there's no one left to try and kill us," Gris joked.

Jaune let out a low curse. "Bad news is that there's no one left at all. No doubt that pathetic last effort was intended to be a diversion."

He looked around at Bill Sonezaki's ruined home regretfully. He'd always been a bit of a mess...but now it was a bloodstained mess.

"Gris, get to Rouge, see if she saw anything. She had the birds' eye view, after all," Jaune said, though he was sure that whoever had captured Bill managed to teleport away. It was the only possible explanation for disappearing without a trace.

Gris snorted. "You expect an old man to run all the way to Rouge? That's cruel, even for you."

"Trust me," Jaune said. He intended a grin, but it came out as more of a grimace. "I gave you an easy job."

He let out a worried sigh. "I'm the one that has to explain to Misty that Bill Sonezaki was captured. She's definitely going to murder me."


	45. Cat and Mouse

Sirens rang out, and members of Rocket Industries panicked, Pokemon at their sides, as they rushed to and from the invaders powerful enough to warrant a Code Indigo. Explosions rocked their headquarters, throwing them off balance and crashing into one another. The distant rumbling of a Dragonite was enough for several of the Rockets to flee and one unfortunate sap to piss himself as the screams of his allies and roars of the dragon grew louder.

"Really, Daniel?" his superior moaned, putting his hand over his nose. "We're already probably fucking screwed, and now I get to die smelling your soiled underwear?"

"I'm just an unpaid intern!" Daniel moaned. "No one told me I was expected to fight the Champion of the Indigo League! I thought I'd just like…take phone calls, or bring people coffee—"

The wall they were hidden behind was blasted open by a hyper beam that flew over their heads. As they tried to protect themselves from the debris, Daniel's superior wondered whether his measly paycheck was worth any of this.

One man, lanky in shape, with purple hair coiffed up and a tuft of hair hair on his chin he claimed was a goatee, was spending the brutal attack on the Rockets' headquarters napping in his chair, leaning back and snoring softly. He was apparently having a good dream, as it took a Rocket grunt shaking him to wake him up.

"Executive Petrel? I apologize, but you told me to wake you if our Headquarters was in jeopardy."

Petrel let out a long yawn and stretched himself out. "And, is it?"

"Well, sir, most of our men who haven't fled for their lives are dead or fighting futilely against who we believe to be Khan Lance's Dragonite, and Daniel's pissed himself."

"That does sound pretty bad," Petrel admitted. "Did Oak come along for the ride?"

"My apologies sir, but I was a little more preoccupied with the Dragonite slicing my Raticate to ribbons and then blowing a hyper beam through three of my men like a shish kebab."

Petrel, getting up from his seat, shivered a little. "That's an image."

"No shit, sir. It was like a fucking conga line of corpses."

"Well, I'll have to see for myself," Petrel said, stepping out of his office and gesturing for the Rocket grunt to fall in line with him. "Where is the battle happening now?"

"Lance had us pinned down in the basement, sir."

"Excellent, we'll take the elevator."

"Sir?" the grunt asked, as the elevator began to drop down with them inside. "You're being very casual about this whole affair."

Petrel gave him a grin that didn't meet his eyes. "Oh, I'm sure for you lowly grunts this whole fight is a death sentence. Fortunately, Giovanni considers me far more of an asset, so I alone will be allowed to teleport away."

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Permission granted."

"Fuck you, sir."

"Ah," Petrel chuckled as the elevator doors opened. "I suppose that's only fair."

Petrel sauntered out, only to immediately duck as a Graveler was thrown against the wall above his head. Watching it drop down, he turned to see who had thrown it.

The battle was somehow going even worse than he imagined.

Lance's Dragonite drew Petrel's attention, the massive beast taking flight and battling about a dozen flying types at once. Every swipe of her claws was a dying Golbat dropping like a stone, blood spilling from its ruined wings. A swing of her long tail was the shattering of a Pidgeotto's skull. Once, the Dragonite's head snapped around and caught a Murkrow between her teeth, and she bit down so hard that blood began to spill down from the Murkrow's back down to the Dragonite's chin.

Occasionally, perhaps just for fun, the Dragonite opened her maw and let loose an earth shattering hyper beam, which upon contact was enough to dissolve the Pokemon unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast and reduce them to ash.

Though not making the same splash as the homicidal dragon, Professor Oak was there as well, shouting orders to a formidable looking Kingler. Though not as flashy as Lance's Dragonite, his movements were cautioned and pinpointed, and attacks deliberately non lethal. His massive claw, jutted out, easily snapping limbs of those who dared ventured close, and from his foamy mouth he spewed out torrents of bubbles at those who tried to aim ranged attacks.

"I can't watch this anymore," Petrel sighed, before marching past his terrified grunts and clearing his throat. "Why, hello! What an honor this is, having the two most powerful trainers in Kanto in my headquarters!"

"Your headquarters?" Khan Lance scoffed. "You're trying to tell me that you're the boss behind Rocket Industries? Sure, and I'm the newest contestant on _Unovan Idol_."

"Petrel." The animosity that Oak seemed to radiate in his stare made Petrel want to giggle like a schoolboy. "I should have recognized your stench the moment I walked in."

"Wait." Lance looked curiously from Petrel to Oak. "You know him, Sam?"

"He's Rocket's newest mouthpiece," Oak spat. "Petrel's been practically begging me to lend Rocket my services, but the idea that he has even a pint of empathy for others is laughable."

Petrel gave a dramatic show of a gasp, making sure to look as aggressively offended as possible. "You wound me! I want what's best for the region as much as anyone else!"

"There's no point in bullshitting us now when we're about to take you in," Lance said. He snapped his fingers, and his Dragonite lurched forward, energy beginning to form in her mouth, "Bring out your real boss; I'm tired of the Scooby-Doo charade."

"But you'll learn my boss's identity soon enough!" Petrel said, looking at the Dragonite without fear. "Assuming your grandson is still on your side by the time he finishes speaking with him."

"What?" Oak's face lost its color.

"I'm afraid you may have overestimated the importance of this hideout," Petrel said, releasing his Abra from his Poke-ball. "The Elite Four has always been the biggest thorn in my boss's side. But now that you're making your move, he can make his own…"

"Tatsuya!" Lance barked. "Pin him down and make him elaborate!"

With a roar, the Dragonite lunged, an ordinarily terrifying sight. Petrel simply smiled, however, and he vanished from sight with his Abra about a millisecond before Tatsuya's claws could sink into his flesh.

His last view before he was warping away was the horrified look of realization on Samuel Oak's expression, no doubt finally understanding the terrible mistake he had made.

* * *

"All right," Green said to Charles, clinging onto him so tightly that it would likely leave marks on his skin as they soared over Route 12. "Ross made it out with Bill Sonezaki."

"Finally some good news," Charles said with the strained tone of someone who wasn't getting enough oxygen. "Figured something had to go right for us eventually."

"Well…" Green winced. "Ross was kinda the only one to make it out alive. The rest were either killed, captured, or are still duking it out at Cerulean."

"God damn it." Charles said, and if Green didn't know better than she'd swear she heard his voice crack. "W-well...at least we know it can't get any worse, right?"

A bolt of lightning blasted the Fearow flying nearest to them, and both rider and bird fell from the sky, disappearing into the trees below.

"You just had to open your mouth, big guy!" Green drawled.

"Who the hell is attacking us?" Charles snapped.

Glancing behind her, it took a second for Green to understand what exactly she was seeing. Red was riding a pink bicycle….across the air?

* * *

"Haha!" Red cried, ringing the bell on his bike. "You thought you had me bested, Green, but you underestimated the power of Delilah!"

"The hell are you on about?" Lucina drawled as she fluttered above Red's head, struggling to hold the bicycle afloat with her psychic power. "I'm the one doing all the work!"

"Less whining, more flying, Lucy!" Red ordered. "Rocket, hit them with more lightning!"

"On it, boss!" Rocket, sitting in the bike's basket in front of the handlebars, turned to give Red a smirk before letting loose more thunderbolts, striking two more Fearow out of the sky.

The Pikachu aimed another thunderbolt for Green, who managed to swerve out of the way.

"C'mon, Rocket, you can aim better than that!" Red shouted.

"Dude, hitting moving targets is way harder!" Rocket snapped, his ear flitting in annoyance. "Also, I get motion sickness really easily. Lay off me, will you?"

Delilah slammed into an invisible wall, interrupting Red's retort. Losing their balance, both Red and Rocket tumbled off the bike and began to fall….

"Arceus damn it, I have to do anything," Lucina drawled, swooping down, catching Red and Rocket with her psychic powers a foot from the ground.

Red's bike hit the dirt a second later, and Red whimpered in horror.

"Lucina, you should have saved Delilah!" Red moaned. "Now she's all dirty."

"You know what?" Lucina said, with barely restrained rage. "Next time, I'll be sure to do that."

The invisible wall, whatever it was, became visible with pink energy, and the Fearow began to land. Green, handcuffs still trapping her arms, sprinted over to the edge of it. "Red, are you okay?"

"Fine, Green!" Red said, pulling his hat back over his tousled hair. "The hell is this thing though?" He poked the massive barrier standing between them curiously.

"Green must have a psychic user in her pocket," came a voice behind Red. He turned to see Blue dismount from his own Fearow. "A powerful one at that."

"Why thank you!" A woman with raven hair was walking up to Green, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's nice to be appreciated, but I'm merely the appetizer today."

"Sabrina?" Green said, looking up in surprise.

"You did very good today, dear," Sabrina said, very kindly, and closed her eyes. With a surprised gasp, Green watched her handcuffs shatter from a psychic force, and she quickly slid the broken pieces off her arms.

"That's another gym leader, right?" Red whispered to Blue, who rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Red, that's another gym leader. Apparently Sabrina's evil too."

"I think evil is a bit of an exaggeration," Sabrina said, and she folded her arms. "I merely saw what was fated to happen and acted accordingly."

"So what, you're staking everything on a vague vision?" Blue asked, shaking his head condescendingly. "Forgive me if a prophecy doesn't sway me."

"My visions have never lied, Oak," Sabrina said. Her expression seemed to deviate from annoyance to pity. "The only liar here is you, and you're lying to yourself."

"Pardon me?"

"I've heard about you. An arrogant little snot who loves to comfortably judge others from his high horse. You claim your grandfather and friend Green have made bad decisions, but their decisions have come from circumstances that demanded impossible choices. What choice have you had to make, Blue? What role can you possibly expect to play?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm Blue motherfucking Oak. I'll be the one to put an end to Rocket's weak justification for their villainy, and I'm going to bring down Mewtwo by myself if necessary. It's what I was born to do, and I'm going to meet that destiny head on."

Sabrina actually laughed at that, a high, mirthless one that carried across the treetops. "And you call me foolish for putting stock in prophecies? All this bluster; you really think anyone will have faith in a narcissistic teenager with a hero complex? You may have been competent enough thanks to your upbringing to best a few gyms, but you're still as human as the rest of us. You're going to be humbled, if not against us than against Mewtwo, and we'll sadly mourn the idiot who threw his life away rather than contribute his considerable talent to the greater good."

Red saw Blue's trembling hand close into a fist, but maybe he had been imagining it, as a moment later Blue was flashing his usual cocky grin.

"I'm flattered, darling," he drawled. "But you're really not my type."

"Look," Red cut in. "I don't want to be rude, but neither of us are getting anywhere while that psychic wall is up. Are you going to fight us or run away, because at this point I'll take either."

"Dude, don't say that!" Blue said, alarmed. "We can't give her all the power. They still have Fuji!"

"Well, I'm not hearing any bright ideas from you!"

Blue raised his hands in surrender. "Yeesh, lighten up, will you? I forgot how snippy you get when you're sleep deprived."

Sabrina cleared her throat, grinning amusedly at the exchange. "As I said, I'm the mere appetizer. Your main course is just about to arrive."

She pointed over to the grove behind them, and sure enough, Red and Blue saw a man limping out between a pair of trees to meet them. Wearing a fancy italian suit, he looked out of place in the woods. His eyes danced between Red and Blue, as though he were trying to decide which piece of meat was most succulent in a buffet.

Blue seemed to recognize him, judging by the surprise he carried in his tone. "Giovanni Romano?"

"Wait a minute." Red narrowed his eyes at the man, grasping at a distant memory. "I think I've seen you before."

"Well, he's the gym leader of Viridian City," Blue explained.

"But, I don't think I've ever seen his televised matches before."

"That's because they're so brutal. His killcount is so high in his gym matches that they can't risk airing them."

"Well, I can see that my reputation precedes me," Giovanni said, sounding genuinely flattered. "The pleasure is all mine. I've been wanting to meet you for a very long time now."

"So you're the boss of Rocket Industries, eh?" Blue said. "It's a bit early for our meeting, isn't it? Weren't we supposed to have this little chat in Celadon City?"

"Yes, well, plans change," Giovanni said, giving a modest shrug of his shoulders. "In fact, Green, it's wonderful to finally meet you as well. You've been leading this organization to greater heights."

Green, who had been silently watching the exchange, very subdued, flushed. "Oh uh, th-thank you, sir."

Giovanni gave her one last curt smile, before returning his focus back to the boys. "I know you have been er, let's say resistant, to Rocket's attempts to recruit you in the past, but—"

"Oh, save your breath," Blue drawled. "I wondered what maniac would be running your organization, and it makes perfect sense that it's you. The Romano family has been scum long before Kanto was even founded."

"I don't deny that. In fact, it was my mother who founded Rocket Industries, who ordered Mew's capture. Who decided that she should be cloned."

His expression was one of pleading. "I work to redeem my family name, to make up for actions that put this region in peril in the first place. Blue, you can relate to what I'm saying, can't you? Your grandfather—"

"Acted like a bitch? Look, I'm not proud that he swept the problem under the rug, but that doesn't mean we're similar. You're still using your wealth and power to take advantage of Kanto. You may have your weak excuse of a justification, but even if you succeeded, where would that lead you? You expect me to be short sighted, but someone with enough resources to capture or destroy Mewtwo isn't someone I want in power. At least gramps thought he was protecting people."

Giovanni took a moment before responding, and when he did, it was in a clipped tone. "You're young. You can't possibly fathom the clone's might. I'll admit the situation isn't ideal, but the clone is our biggest threat, and—"

"That remains to be seen," Blue interrupted. He pointed a poke-ball at Giovanni. "I've been told how invincible Mewtwo is, but I'm going to see for myself instead of trusting criminals who have literally poisoned me."

"I can show you," Sabrina suddenly snapped. "Green herself saw what the clone was capable of—"

"Hey, uh, leave me out of this," Green muttered, scratching her head.

"—And I can offer the one and only lead we have on ever beating it. The clone is destined to be challenged by a child of Viridian Forest, and that Rocket will be the cause of its downfall. I think Giovanni sucks as much you do, but—"

"I fit both qualifications," Giovanni agreed. "Obviously, I lead Rocket Industries, and I'm from Viridian City, born and raised. I used to play in that forest all the time as a boy. The prophecy undoubtedly refers to me. I may have failed once, fighting alongside your parents, but—"

Red had stopped listening. What Sabrina had said, about a child raised in Viridian Forest—he looked up and locked eyes with Green who was staring back at him urgently, her mouth opening a little. He knew instantly they had come to the same conclusion.

Giovanni wasn't who the prophecy was referring to.

He turned back into what Blue was saying, something about him being so badass he didn't need the validation of a prophecy to kick Mewtwo's ass. You know, typical Blue.

"By Arceus, you're as arrogant as your father was." Giovanni snickered. "You know he was just as sure he could fight the clone, and—"

"He's dead." Blue shrugged, unfazed. "So I'll just have to be better."

"I think it's time I humbled you," Giovanni said, and he whistled. From the trees, a Persian pounced, over Giovanni's head, claws outstretched. Blue knew he wouldn't be able to throw a poke-ball in time, but he didn't need to. There was a blur of yellow, and the Persian was yowling in pain, Rocket's tail having smacked her upside the head. The cat fell back, landing on her feet, and Rocket stood between her and the two boys, electricity sparking from his cheeks.

"I know you want to save the world and anything, but y'know, you're not alone." Red was looking at Blue, blushing a little. "Plus, if I caught Mewtwo, I'd be like, the strongest trainer ever, right?"

Blue rolled his eyes. "Thing killed our dads, and you want him as a pet. Figures."

Giovanni gave a short round of applause, Red and Blue glanced at each other, not sure whether they were being mocked or not. "Quick reflexes, Red. You're clearly a much better trainer than your father ever was."

He held up a poke-ball. "Since this is two on one, I won't be holding back. This Pokemon was raised with the sole purpose of combating the clone, or er, Mewtwo, as you're apparently calling it. Defeat him, and I might even be able to respect your chances."

From his poke-ball emerged a Beedrill, colored green instead of the usual yellow. It's eyes bored through Red and Blue's. Blue nodded at Red and he tapped the button on his ball, releasing Kelloggs, while Red whistled Lucina front and center.

"Buzzkill, poison jab!" Giovanni ordered, and the Beedrill shot forward like a rocket.

"Use psychic, Kelloggs," Blue ordered, deciding that mocking Giovanni's Beedrill's name would waste too much time.

"Rocket, keep that Persian busy!" Red shouted. "Lucy, use con—"

But Buzzkill was already upon them, his humming growing louder and louder.

His first jab sunk deep into Kellogg's thigh, the Kadabra letting out a shout of pain before Beedrill spun, striking him in the nose with his elbow. As Kelloggs went down, not even sure what hit him, the Beedrill flew for Lucina, who was fluttering back in a desperate and useless attempt to retreat.

Though Red hadn't finished calling out orders, Lucina had gotten the message, unleashing a wave of psychic energy toward the Beedrill, who merely twirled around it. Red shouted Lucina's name in horror as Buzzkill drove his stinger deep into her abdomen, blood splattering on the Beedrill's face. He ripped out his blade and the Butterfree fell.

Red caught her, and she was breathing, but shallowly. Red quickly returned her to her poke-ball, knowing she'd be safe as long as she remained in the stasis the poke-ball provided, until he was able to get her to a Pokemon Center. Still, none of his Pokemon had come that close to death before, and his hands were trembling.

The Beedrill was back to staring at them without expression, watching Blue return an unconscious Kelloggs to his poke-ball as well. Giovanni was smiling at them knowingly, completely ignoring Rocket's battle with his Persian.

"Star-Lord!" Red shouted, figuring there was no point in holding back. The Charmeleon burst out of his ball snarling, his claws outstretched. Buzzkill shot out to meet him in a bizarre dance of death, claws scraping across stingers as fire danced around them. Accompanying all of Star-Lord's strikes were jets of fire emitting from his mouth and his swinging tail, but the Beedrill dodged them all, stabbing down with a blade. Star managed to deflect it, but it was evident who had the upper hand.

Presently, the dirt cracked underneath their feet, and Carolyn the Sandslash burst out of the ground, swiping at Buzzkill with her claw, forcing him to jump away. Carolyn lunged after him, but if he could dodge Star, a Sandslash was much too slow to land a blow, and the Beedrill stayed out of her range with ease.

"Ground types can take a hit or two from poison types," Blue said. "We need to use that to our advantage! Raphael!"

He released a Vulpix from his poke-ball, looking intently for an opening. Buzzkill was overwhelming Carolyn at the moment, the Sandslash barely blocking his vicious assault, before spinning around to dodge a burst of fire from Star. He seemed aware of Raphael's presence, as he danced between the two, leaving the Vulpix with no clear shot.

"How the hell are we going to do this?" Red growled. "It's like fighting three Pokemon at once!"

Blue bit his lip, watching Buzzkill stab Carolyn in the shoulder, drawing blood. "We're going to have to use our superior numbers. The Beedrill's good, but no one's good enough to fight off two teams of Pokemon all by themselves. Pick someone fast and aggressive."

"Fast and aggressive?" Red smirked. "Got it! Jackie!"

A moment later, the Mankey was sprinting off to tag in for Carolyn, who had fallen down on one knee, exhausted from Buzzkill's relentless assault.

"Carolyn, get underground!" Blue barked. "We can't afford you out in the open like that anymore!"

Looking relieved, the Sandslash began to burrow under the earth. Blue began to stomp one of his feet against the dirt, a movement that caused Red to glance at him curiously.

"Eyes on the fight, Red," Blue muttered, and Red shrugged.

Buzzkill was now weaving in between Jackie and Star-Lord, deflecting the Mankey's kicks with his stingers and flipping around Star's ember attacks without effort. Red grimaced, glancing back at the one other Pokemon that might've been fast enough to keep up with the three of them, but Rocket wasn't doing well.

Giovanni's Persian seemed almost as fast as the Beedrill, and it was all Rocket could do to dodge her slashes and bites. The Pikachu had been so pressed he hadn't the openings to even attack back, and the blood matting his fur from near misses and his raspy breathing told Red that Rocket was about to hit his limit.

"Princess!" Blue called, and the Jolteon took to the field, practically radiating power and actually causing Giovanni's eyebrow to raise. Sabrina and Green were watching the battle, transfixed.

"Thunderbolt!" Blue ordered, and, her body crackling with electrical energy, she launched a lightning bolt with deadly accuracy. Buzzkill leapt back, the lightning striking the ground and throwing Jackie and Star aside while the Beedrill landed a safe distance away, unaware of the movement under the earth below his feet.

Blue smirked. "Gotcha."

Carolyn tore out of the ground behind Buzzkill, swiping down with all her might so fast that even the Beedrill was caught off guard. Buzzkill blocked, but the Sandslash didn't seem bothered with attacking, instead hooking his stinger between her claws, locking him in place.

"Raph, fire spin!" Blue ordered, and the Vulipx unleashed a ring of fire that swirled around the Beedrill's feet just as Carolyn jumped free. Blue snapped his fingers and the ring exploded, leaving Buzzkill caught in a vortex of flames.

"Your Beedrill is impressive, but by watching him fight I determined that his movements were reflective, not analyzed. It makes him susceptible to bait, and since I've been training Carolyn to sense vibrations in the ground, it was a perfect trap."

"Oh, that's why you were stomping on the ground like a weirdo," Red said in realization. "You invented some weird form of morse code?"

"Something like that," Blue said, still grinning at his own brilliance. "Princess, use thunder!"

Dark clouds rolled in the sky above their heads, and the ensuing thunderbolt was so powerful it caused Rocket and Giovani's Persian to pause their fight to watch the spectacle. Thousands of volts of electricity, straight at the trapped Beedrill...

'"You better hope he's just unconscious," Blue remarked with his usual shit-eating grin.

Giovanni nodded, impressed. "Well, congratulations. Buzzkill's substitute is well and truly beaten."

"Wait, roll that back?"

As the smoke cleared and the flames died, it became clear what Princess had actually hit— a very burnt log.

Blue went pale. Red had never seen him so out of his element.. "I..no...how did you…"

Buzzkill dropped down from a nearby tree behind Blue, slamming the butt of his stinger against the back of his head, and Blue crumpled. With three quick jabs, he tapped each of Blue's poke-balls, forcing Princess, Carolyn, and Raphael to be recalled in red light.

"Handy little trick," Giovanni said, satisfaction dripping in his tone as he looked at Blue's collapsed form. "Pokemon can't battle if they're trapped in their balls, and trainers can't call our orders if they aren't conscious."

"Well, that's not good," Red mumbled, glancing between Giovanni and the Beedrill advancing on him.

"I really didn't want to take the two of you in by force, but you're not leaving me much choice," Giovanni said. "I'll give you one more chance, Red. Surely you're not as pigheaded as Blue. Make the sensible choice."

Despite knowing he hadn't a snowball's chance in hell of actually beating Giovanni, Red cracked a grin. "Clearly you don't know me very well. Groot! Drax!"

The Wartortle and Ivysaur burst out of their poke-balls, staring grimly up at Buzzkill, who stared back at them, beginning to hum again.

"You think if you and Blue can't defeat me together, you stand a chance alone?" Giovanni said incredulously. "Delia was right about you."

Red blinked, his grin fading from his face instantly.

"Oh, you're going to pay for that one. Drax, Groot, give him hell!"

"End it quickly, Buzzkill," was Giovanni's tepid response.

Drax and Groot nodded at one another, before letting loose their ranged attacks, a stream of bubble and razor sharp leaves respectively. Buzzkill flew past the attacks with ease, poison dripping from its stingers, headed straight for Red, but Jackie tackled him from behind, bowling them both over.

Buzzing angrily, the Beedrill slapped the Mankey aside with ease, looming over her and aiming a decisive, likely fatal strike. Red's heart stopped beating for a moment, but Buzzkill was forced to abandon his attack and jump aside, a column of flame lighting the grass up where he had been standing seconds before, as Jackie rolled aside to safety. Star-Lord had joined the fray once more.

Once again Charmeleon and Beedrill were locked in combat, stingers meeting claws in a bizarre sword fight. Snarling ferally, Star snapped at Buzzkill with jaws coated in flame, but Beedrill kicked him in the stomach, sending him sliding back.

"How the hell is a Beedrill this strong, man?" Drax said quietly as they watched Star struggle to dodge Buzzkill's blows, being pushed further and further back. "It's unsettling."

"Yeah," Groot gulped. "What do we do?"

Red's eyes flitted to Rocket, who was still struggling to hold his own against Giovanni's Persian. He could use one of the Pikachu's pep talks right about now…

"Blue had the right idea earlier," Red said firmly. "It's time to use that triple finish strategy we've been developing."

Buzzkill slammed his powerful stinger down on Star-Lord's tail, and the Chameleon tripped and fell on his back. Star grunted in pain, unleashing a fire-ball that Beedrill merely turned his head slightly to avoid. Aiming for his heart, Buzzkill's stinger shot forward.

But then Drax was in the way, spinning his body so that Buzzkill's stinger scraped off his shell, throwing the Beedrill off balance. Tail now free, Star backflipped away, as Groot concentrated on releasing a leech seed, a myriad of vines wrapping tightly around Buzzkill's body.

Buzzkill was only slowed for a second, slashing through the vines with ease, but Star-Lord was ready.

"Dragon rage!" Red ordered.

With all of his strength, Star-Lord opened his mouth and let loose the most powerful breath of flame anyone had ever seen from him. The blue fire swirled towards Buzzkill, but his wings fluttered and he was in the air again, the resulting explosion underneath him strong enough to blow off Giovanni's hat.

Buzzkill looked at them, almost pitiyingly, before launching himself down, jabbing Drax with enough strength to keel him over. Focusing on Red himself, he flew forward, stingers at the ready.

Groot tried to chase after him, but a string shot cast from Buzzkill's rump wrapped around his legs and threw him to the dirt. Star-Lord ran out to meet him a third time, but Red could tell his stamina was dwindling, the light at the end of his tail beginning to flicker.

Just as Red realized with a dull pang that he was going to lose, as Buzzkill smacked Star away and wheeled on him, ready to finish the job, a thunderbolt blasted Buzzkill off his feet, from the one Pokemon both Giovanni and the Beedrill would have never expected to risk attacking.

It wasn't Princess, who was still in her poke-ball, unable to escape. It wasn't a new arrival, a last minute savior, like in the movies.

It was Rocket, who had turned away from the Persian he could barely fight off with his undivided attention, zapping Buzzkill with as much lightning as he could muster.

Red's head whipped back to see where the attack had come from just in time to see the Persian's claws tear into Rocket's chest, sinking in deep, too deep.

For a moment, they locked eyes. Rocket's sheepish smile was identical to the one he'd had when he spilled ketchup all over his fur. That's all it was, dribbling down his front and dripping on the grass, trickling from his lips; ketchup. He'd just made another mess.

The Persian ripped her claws out of Rocket, bringing much of his body with her in a shower of red, and the Pikachu's eyes dulled.


	46. Crumbling Chrysanthemums

Unlike Janine, most of the ninja (especially her father) weren't much for conversation. The wait for Green's return to the outpost bordering Fuschia was getting unbearable, and she tended to be a chatterbox when she was nervous, but the taciturn ninjas didn't bother to respond, so she found herself mostly pacing and talking to herself.

"I mean, I've seen Green battling, she can definitely hold her own, but this Blue guy is supposed to be the best trainer this century. The escape plan was solid, but what if the enemy had faster flying Pokemon than Fearow—"

"Janine," Ross, the only Rocketeer who had made it back from the mission to capture Bill Sonezaki, snapped. "Please shut up."

She winced, not really blaming him for being so grumpy. He had his arm in a sling, courtesy of a gunshot wound. "Oh. Um. Sorry."

"There," Koga said, the first word he had spoken since they'd arrived at the outpost. Sure enough, there was a flash of light, and Green and her men stumbled into view.

For a moment, Janine wanted to grin and congratulate Green; it seemed like her mission was a success. Most of her men had safely returned alongside her, and Charles had an unconscious Philip Fuji slung over his shoulder. It wasn't long, however, before it became obvious that something must have gone horribly wrong.

Green stumbled, and Janine surged forward to steady her. She scanned her body for potential injuries, but Green was seemingly unharmed, though shaking, tears sliding down her cheeks. Janine glanced up, noticing with a start that two people she recognized had accompanied Green's party home.

Giovanni Romano himself limped forward to meet Koga, a little pale but otherwise expressionless, while Sabrina trudged behind him. Her face too was unreadable, but only because it was a kaleidoscope of conflicting emotions. Her hands were trembling.

Koga shook hands with Giovanni and the two began to converse, but Janine tuned them out, as Green was beginning to hyperventilate. It was unnerving; Janine had only seen her so vulnerable once before; when that giant Fearow had nearly mauled her.

"Green, everything's going to be fine," Janine said, as soothingly as she could manage. "You're safe now."

"I didn't know Giovanni would…" Green babbled. "I've never heard Red scream like that…"

She sobbed into Janine's shoulder, and as she stroked her hair, Janine glanced at Giovanni in questioning.

"The battle got heated," Giovanni said, smiling a little sheepishly. "A Pokemon was killed, but, well...Red and Blue were out for blood."

"You attacked them," Sabrina said, cold as ice. "Don't treat it like it was some tragic accide-"

"It was not my intention to kill any of their Pokemon. The Pikachu sacrificed himself to deal considerable damage to my Beedrill. My Persian took the opportunity to strike, and perhaps underestimated the difference in level between them."

"Bullshit."

"At any rate." Giovanni's eyes held no regret. "It was a Pikachu. One on the frailer side, Not particularly well-bred. Nature has its way of weeding out the weak and leaving the world to the strong. I'm sure Red will replace it with a more powerful Pokemon, and will be a better trainer for it. Otherwise, he'll be thrown to the wayside. It's tragic, but I don't sugarcoat."

Sabrina didn't respond, though she still looked disgusted. Janine nodded at Giovanni's words. He was never the most empathetic man, but he was a powerful and wise one, worthy of respect. If this trainer hadn't learned this painful lesson now, he would only be hurt more in the future. It was a common lesson among her people that the greatest victories were won from the worst hardships. Grow or die.

Green finally seemed to pull herself together, wiping away her tears and standing at attention. "Sorry, Giovanni, sir. For my moment of weakness. It won't happen again."

Giovanni's smile wasn't unkind, but it was distant, as though he hadn't really heard her. "You'll become hardened over time, Green. And you performed beautifully today. Given your success, I've decided to promote you to the rank of executive."

Green's surprised response was interrupted by Koga's cry of outrage.

"After one mission? She's a child!"

"She's been twice as successful as any of our finest. And the situation, as you know, has changed. We lost many good men today, and the rest of Kanto is aware of Rocket's true nature. Talent is not to be wasted."

Koga evidently didn't like it, but he nodded. "I assume it's time to initiate Project Fortress."

Giovanni nodded. "Fuschia City is Rocket's only remaining haven. We'll need to hold it, at least until we can finally get our hands on Silph's newest toy."

"The master ball?"

"That's the one. I've been searching for a way to detain the clone for years, and now fate's delivered a present on my doorstep. Oh, and Koga?"

"Hm?"

"I want your grip on the hostages to be more overt. Starting with Daisy Oak. Subtlety is pretty much a waste at this point."

He, Koga, and Sabrina walked off, flanked by most of Green's men, Fuji feebly beginning to stir.

Realizing she and Green were now alone, Janine blushed. "Listen, Green, you need rest. Do you want me to walk you back to your apartment?"

"No," Green said, not meeting her eyes. "Thanks, Janine, but I'd like to be alone right now."

Janine frowned, watching her shamble away, concern mingling with suspicion.

* * *

"Yellow, Rocket Industries is collapsing right in front of our eyes, how can you be napping?"

Yellow snorted awake, rubbing her hands over her eyes. "Sorry, it's just...jeez, Blaine's couch is so comfortable."

She and Looker had spent the last few days living in Blaine's mansion, cleaning up the place, and now it was almost livable. Blaine, himself, though still tied up, seemed a bit more civilized now, showered and wearing fresh clothes. Though he was grumpy, Yellow guessed that he was actually fond of their company, and was now watching the television with interest as Looker fed him cereal.

"Well, our little warning to Professor Oak went exactly as expected," Looker said with satisfaction. "Now that Rocket's been exposed, we can be sure that the remnants are locking themselves down in Fuschia. We have an easy target."

Yellow looked back at the television, where Scott Silph was officially announcing that all of his company's ties would be cut with Rocket, and offered full support and cooperation for the investigation that would ensue. Yellow had always thought of Silph as a meek man, easily strong-armed, but now he spoke with clarity and conviction, though his eyes still darted nervously.

"Anything I missed?" she asked.

"Well, Executive Archer Bow was arrested," Looker said off-handedly, as though this piece of evidence was hardly important. "There was a skirmish in Saffron, the police department and Kiyo's militia against Sabrina's psychic trainers. Once she and Giovanni were outed as the ringleaders of Rocket Industries, they didn't have much choice but to struggle against the authorities closing in."

Yellow knew almost nothing about Kantonian politics, gym leaders, or businessmen, but the Executive rang a bell. "Archer was the public leader of Rocket, right?"

"A puppet leader, maybe. An expendable one at that, as it seems everyone Giovanni deems important is nice and cozy in Fuschia city, under Koga's watchful gaze.

"What alarms me most is that, while we certainly struck a blow against Rocket, Giovanni seemed perfectly comfortable abandoning his cloak and dagger tactics for a blunt and direct approach. He willingly sacrificed both his headquarters in Celadon and his own reputation to ensure the capture of Philip Fuji and Bill Sonezaki, so in his mind he feels just as victorious as we do."

"Well…" Yellow struggled to follow along. One thing she noticed over time about Looker was how quickly his brain seemed to work, and how little his patience was for those who were left in his dust. "Was it even worth it to draw them out in the open then?"

"Certainly. All our enemies are in one place now."

"Not the one in Cerulean Cave."

Looker laughed. "Fair enough. Not that one. But still. The reveal Giovanni's true nature will make his actions a lot easier to track and counter. We have an easy objective."

"But in doing so we painted targets on our own backs, haven't we? Koga will be sure to send more ninjas our way."

"Yes, and so we'll have to abandon Blaine's hospitality. But, unlike Giovanni, who's revealed his hand, we have a card up our sleeve that he isn't aware of."

"And, that is?"

"You, Yellow." He gave her that piercing stare of his that always made Yellow both self-conscious and suspicious, like he had analyzed her thoroughly but hadn't decided what yet to do with that information. "Oak's kept you well-hidden for years, and I've seen your special abilities in action. If I were a betting man, I'd say you're the final puzzle piece in this whole conflict, a piece that Giovanni has no idea exists. That's why I need you to infiltrate Fuschia, discover any chinks in the armor you can."

Yellow blushed. She felt like a heroine in one of Red's action movies. "But what about you?"

"Rocket's already aware of my existence. I'm heading to Saffron City. I believe if Giovanni's lost anything valuable to him, it's his connections with the Silph Company. I'll learn what I can, see just how deeply Rocket is rooted within the Company. It's possible Scott Silph is merely saving face and he's as much a threat now as it was before."

Yellow nodded vaguely. In truth, none of Looker's plans mattered to her, even if she was starting to trust him a bit more. She was involved because she wanted to help Kanto's wildlife sustain itself again, and stop Rocket's constant meddling with the ecosystem. That and whatever Mew intended. She wasn't exactly a visionary like Green. Maybe that's why she was so attracted to Red. They both had tunnel vision.

Still, there was no reason not to go to Fuschia. She could find Green, maybe finally knock some sense into her.

Besides, fighting ninjas was pretty fun. She'd have some cool stories to tell Red.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the television, which happened to utter a pair of words that, together, caused her blood to run cold.

_'Casualty'_ and '_Pikachu'._

* * *

Pokemon didn't have funerals, but Oak was kind enough to pay for a shrine of Rocket to be displayed in the Pokemon Tower. He hadn't spared any expense either, making sure that the Pikachu would soon have a live-sized statue built in his honor.

Right now, though, Rocket's grave was a sad little stone marked with his name and the smell of incense. Red, Blue, and Oak were gathered around it, Red's team standing further back, forming an awkward semi-circle.

Drax's permanent smile had left his face, and his eyes seemed to bounce around the room, as though he were still expecting the Pikachu to turn up, hearty and healthy.

Groot hadn't stopped sniffling since Rocket had been torn out of Red's hands by Nurse Joy, who had finally officially declared the Pikachu dead, finally forcing any semblance of denial to wipe away from their minds. A vine reached up to wipe away the tears from Red's eyes, though Groot's own eyes were leaking as well.

Star-Lord didn't look quite as mighty as usual as he looked upon Rocket's grave, and the light at the end of his tail was as low as a candle, as if in prayer.

Lucina, her chest wrapped up in bandages, was even more subdued than usual. She never could meet the rest of her team's eyes, instead staring fixedly at the grave, as though imagining herself in Rocket's place.

Jackie shook with a quiet rage, angrier than anyone had ever seen her. Being the only one in Red's team with opposable thumbs, she had tried to gather chrysanthemums for Rocket, but she ended up crumbling them, unable to control her fury.

Maybe it was horrible for Red to feel this way, but he was glad that his team was sharing in his grief. It helped him feel less alone.

Of course, he couldn't think of them as a family. Rocket had been right; death was inevitable for Pokemon. Red was sure it would happen again.

He needed to detach himself from his team, stop trying to think of them as beings he could ever hope to protect. He'd just be punishing himself each time the unspeakable happened.

He vowed never again to let himself feel the unbearable, aching pain he knew now. It'd kill him if he had to go through it again.

The lack of weight on his shoulder, where Rocket used to sit, was what Red couldn't stand the most. He was glad when Oak finally interrupted the silence.

"I...I have to get back to Pallet. Please, boys, stay safe. Red, I…"

He seemed like he wanted to apologize, but also seemed to realize it would sound disingenuous. "Please get some rest. You'll feel a bit better in the morning. I promise. Blue?"

Blue looked up. Red hadn't heard him speak a word since Giovanni's Beedrill had knocked him out, but the guilty look in his eyes told Red plenty.

"Learn from this," Oak said. "Act accordingly. If you throw your life away in the pursuit of being a hero, you won't help anyone."

Blue muttered something unintelligible. Oak, evidently realizing that this was the best response he'd ever get, sighed a little and turned away.

Red and Blue stared at Rocket's grave for a little longer. Blue cleared his throat, finally seeming to have found something to say.

"I'm leaving for a while."

"You're leaving."

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Blue let out a mirthless chuckle. "Because I need to be better. I need to train, both my mind, and my Pokemon, before I try to challenge Giovanni, let alone Mewtwo. So, yeah, I'll be disappearing."

"Oh."

"Listen, Red." Blue clasped his shoulder. "You're a powerful trainer. I've seen you in action enough times to know. But, well...this whole situation's a different animal now. I don't want you to get hurt. Maybe it would be best if you tagged out for a while, kept your head down."

Anger like nothing Red had ever known began to seep into his veins, throb into his neck, and he clenched his fists so tightly his fingernails left marks on his skin. Blue had spent their whole rivalry demanding he improve. He never patronized Red, and he never underestimated him either. Now, here was, telling Red he wasn't good enough, and—

"Look, like I said, I know you're a strong trainer, but it's not a game anymore—"

Blue's face suddenly jerked back to dodge Red's punch. He grunted as Red pushed him against the wall, so shocked he didn't even fight back.

"You think this was ever a game to me?" Red spat. "God, you're like everyone else. You think I'm just a big, stupid joke, don't you? But Rocket didn't die because I fucked up, Blue. This one's on you."

Blue's eyes went wide. "You didn't...that wasn't my fault! Giovanni—"

"Giovanni wanted to put you into your place because you were acting like hot shit! Rocket was the one who paid the price for your bravado!"

"I didn't ask you to fight for me!" Blue shouted, and Red felt a savage, horrible sense of satisfaction that he was finally dragging Blue down to his level. "He died because you put him on the battlefield, I'm not responsible for that—"

"Blue what planet do you live on where the people who love you won't risk their lives trying to protect you when you're in danger?! These stupid acts of valor aren't heroic, it's self indulgence, and by throwing yourself into suicidal missions you're going to get the people you care about killed; because contrary to what everyone in Kanto believes, you're not perfect!"

The anger in Blue's eyes reflected Red's own, and it felt good.

"I would have thought, if anyone understood what I was trying to do, what I was working towards, it'd be you, Red," Blue said quietly, not quite a sneer, but near one.

"That was before you got my Pikachu killed trying to save your useless ass. And it's not like you respect me enough to let me help you. All you're doing is making his sacrifice meaningless."

Blue shoved him away. Red didn't offer any true resistance, stumbling back.

"You know, what, Red? You are a joke. A joke that keeps getting less funny the longer you hear it. Go home. You're just going to get in my way."

And with that he was gone, storming off to the stairs to join his grandpa.

"Red?" Groot asked, as the sound of Blue's footsteps faded. "Do you really blame Blue for what happened to Rocket?"

"No," Red said, after a moment. "It's Giovanni's fault, more than anyone else. But, if blaming him gets Blue to stop acting like an idiot…"

He cleared his throat. "Not too long ago, Rocket told me that death was something I had to accept if I wanted to be a trainer. I told him that I'd give it my all to make sure no one got hurt, but, well, I failed, obviously.

"But we're still a team, even without Rocket. A strong team at that. We can't let ourselves wallow in grief, because it won't get us anywhere. We need to forget about Rocket."

His team nodded, but it seemed like it was out of obligation. Red wondered if what he said really sunk in. He guessed he couldn't blame them.

With some silent agreement, Red and his team decided it was time to leave. With a final glance at Rocket's grave, Red made one more promise, one he was determined to keep.

He'd never come back to the tower to visit his Pikachu's grave again.


	47. A Tentative Step Forward

"Arceus, I hate Lavender Town," Blue muttered to himself, thankful to finally be out of that tower. Soon he'd be flying away, feeling the wind against his face, and letting his troubles stay on the ground below.

Already forlorn and woebegone, Philip Fuji's capture seemed to have only submerged Lavender deeper into obscurity. Fuji had been a bright spot as Lavender's Representative, advocating for his town's say in elections, and acting as resident friendly grandpa, happily taking care of the Pokemon in his orphanage. Now that spot had been blighted out.

Hawkeye stretched out his wings, giving Blue a knowing look.

"Yeah, of course we're flying out. Really not interested in talking to anyone right now," Blue said, sliding one leg over the Fearow's back.

"Blue."

Oak was hurrying over to him, a little out of breath, cigarette in hand.

"I thought you quit," Blue said, only glancing at his grandfather for a moment before turning his back on him again.

He heard Oak chuckle awkwardly. "Well, habits can be difficult to break."

"Yeah, and you have a few bad habits, gramps."

"Blue, I know you'll never forgive me for some of my decisions, but you should know this." the worry in his voice was enough for Blue to look him in the eyes. "Giovanni has Daisy. Her dorm room was broken into, and Sabrina just sent me a telekinetic message to confirm it."

Blue blinked a few times, wondering why he wasn't more surprised. He had known his sister was being hounded by ninjas. Now their grip on her was just a lot more overt. "I take it that the reason is to keep you from assaulting Fuschia? You're the only one who might even have a chance, given your secret weapon."

"Blue, you know I can't do anything, not with Daisy at risk."

"Yeah. I wouldn't risk her getting hurt either," Blue admitted. "But Rocket Industries isn't the only threat. There's always—"

"Enough about the clone, Blue, please!" Oak pleaded. "No one stands a chance against it."

"You're right. Which is why I'm going to train. I'm not coming back until my Pokemon are strong enough."

He whistled, and Hawkeye spread his wings.

Oak sighed. "Once you provoke the clone, it will go into a rage, destroying anything in its path. It took all of my ability just to placate it the first time. If you intend to battle the clone in your hubris, you put Kanto in peril. As champion of the Pokemon League, I'll have to do everything in my power to stop you."

He closed his eyes, his lips quivering. "Please don't put me in that position."

Blue didn't respond. A moment later, Hawkeye was lifting off, and in another moment he was a mere speck in the sky.

* * *

"C'mon, Red, why not? I'm named after the freaking god of thunder! I'm the best replacement for Rocket!"

"Like I've said about a billion times, you're too underleveled. You're gonna get killed out there. Then sure. Yeah. You'd have something in common with Rocket."

"Then train me! I'll be a lean, mean, killing machine!"

Thor the Eevee frowned, but he didn't give up. He had spent every waking moment since Red had gotten back from Pokemon Tower pestering him to join his team. Red wasn't sure if he felt more flattered or offended.

"You know what, Thor, fine! I'll catch you? Is that what you want?" Red snapped, pulling a poke-ball out of his pocket and tossing it at the Eevee.

"Yay!" Thor said, before disappearing in a red light. The Poke-ball that caught him soon vanished, transporting him to the Pokemon Storage System that Red had only used once; to dump a Magikarp that a swindler had managed to trick him into buying, nicknamed Ronan the Accuser. Red forgot all about Ronan the Accuser and as a result he will not be mentioned again in this story.

"Well, be careful what you wish for," Red said, satisfied with himself.

"Kinda a dick move, isn't it?" Drax said, rubbing his head awkwardly. "Leaving him in the PC?"

"It's a better alternative to getting killed," Red countered, rubbing his aching head and sitting down hard on the couch. He had decided to stay in Fuji's cottage for the night, and head for Celadon City in the morning to challenge Erika's gym. He'd have left today, but he hadn't been sleeping well and hoped to get a little more tonight.

"Red?" Lucina said. She had been quieter than usual lately. In fact, Red wasn't sure he'd heard her speak since the battle with Giovanni. "Can I talk to you about something?"

Red assumed she meant, 'talk to you about something _alone'. _ Groaning with effort, Red rose to his feet. "Of course, Lucy. Let's talk on the porch."

Lucina, however, didn't seem to be very eager to spill the beans. She fluttered awkwardly next to Red as he settled down on Fuji's favorite rocking chair. If Red hadn't known her better, he'd accuse her of feeling guilty about something.

"Lucina, you can tell me anything. Seriously."

Lucina nodded slowly. "I...I think I want to retire."

Red felt like he'd been punched in the stomach, but he tried to keep the hurt out of his voice. "Oh. How come?"

"I'm not as powerful as the others, and I'm worried that if I keep pushing my luck, I'm going to get seriously hurt. You know I'd do anything for you, Red, but I'm afraid. And I'm tired of getting beat up. Butterfrees aren't built for fighting."

"Of course, if that's what you want. I'll happily support you if you want to quit fighting. It's not for everyone, but...I'll be sad to lose you." He bit his lip. "If it's at all possible, though…"

Lucina cocked her head to the side curiously. "What?"

"This next gym features grass types. You and Star-Lord were going to be my aces for that battle. If it's out of the question, I won't push it, but do you mind fighting with me one last time? A swan song to kick off your retirement?"

Lucina smiled. "Alright. I think I can handle one more battle. You better not fuck me over and get me killed, though."

Red chuckled sadly. "No promises. I um...I'd better get some sleep."

When he shut the door to his room, it was louder than it would've been normally. Lucina flinched.

* * *

Red lay on his bed, staring up at nothing in particular. He was done with Lavender, sick of no one else being around, sick of an empty room.

The phone rang.

Red considered declining it, but figured he at least owed it to himself to speak with an actual human today.

"Hello?"

"Red, is that you? Oak gave me this number, but—"

"Yellow?" His heart jumped out of the depths of his malaise. "Is that you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's me. And I'm fine, but I definitely have some stories to share. I um, I heard about Rocket."

And just like that, he was thrown back down to reality. At least it was on a soft bed. "Well, what can you do, right?"

"I wish I was with you."

"So do, I. Is there, um, a chance we could meet somewhere? I-I really want to talk in person." He hated how desperate he sounded. Yellow had enough on her plate right now.

"I'm going to Fuschia City right now. That's not far from Lavender. Maybe we could meet halfway?"

"I'd like that." Red's brief sense of relief at the prospect of seeing Yellow again dissipated when he remembered something that had been bothering him almost as much as well...the obvious.

"Yellow, we heard Sabrina say some stuff before the fight. Something about a child from Viridian Forest being fated to fight the clone, er, dumb as that sounds, and my mind kind of jumped to you, with all your weird powers and stuff."

"Um, Red? This really isn't something we should be talking about over the phone."

"Please, you have to give me something. I haven't heard from you in like, two weeks, and you're waltzing deep into enemy territory. I know you can take care of yourself but I'm starting to get scared."

"I don't know what to say that hasn't already been said. There's a lot I have to figure out by myself."

"Why can't you trust me?" Red snapped, already regretting his tone. "Arceus, I grew up trusting you with practically everything that was bothering me. If I can help you in any way, please let me!"

"Red, I love you, but I'm not going to put you at risk like that. You wouldn't know what you're getting into."

"I don't care about the risk! I can't lose you, too!"

But Yellow had already hung up.

* * *

Red slammed the phone back on the receiver, letting out a scream of frustration. "Jesus Christ, if she doesn't get killed I'm going to murder her myself."

Being alone sucked almost as much as being alone with his mom. Life in Pallet hadn't been so bad, when he'd spent almost all of his time with Blue and Yellow, practically living at Professor Oak's. But there were those rare times when he wasn't able to escape into fantasies of catching Charizards and wrestling Groudons. When it was late at night and he was too tired to imagine himself as the hero.

That was when he'd hear the whispers of his mom dance around his brain in his subconscious, too swift to block out. They were all that was left when he didn't have the strength to dream anymore.

His mom's tone was never loud or penetrating, like his own combative inner voice. It was patient and slow and patient, with the air of someone who believed them to be all-knowing. It was a quiet confidence, an understanding that no matter how loud he sung his own praises, cold reality would always ring true. _He was lying to himself_, she told him sweetly._ He was going to lose._

No matter how tired he was, his mom's whispers would keep him up, replaying, and replaying, and replaying.

Rocket had helped, once Red had officially become a trainer. He cuddled up to Red's chest when they were asleep, and that weight on his heart was a comfort, a muffler. Now that weight was gone, and the whispers were back.

"Stop thinking about Rocket. You. Dumb. Fuck." He slapped himself repeatingly, forcing the image of the Pikachu out of his mind. "You're just going to hurt yourself."

Ordinarily, Red's team was a rowdy, carefree bunch. They'd shout and fight and generally be as loud as they wanted to. Rocket had always been the one to reign them in, yell at them to calm them down. Now, with no one to stop them, being rambunctious just wasn't as fun anymore.

Still, it wasn't to be a quiet night. Star-Lord had called the team into the living room for a meeting, and with nothing else to do, they shrugged and decided to comply. Strewn about lazily on the couches and armchairs in front of a fireplace that had long since burnt out, they listened to what Star-Lord had to say.

"As you all know," the Charmeleon said, clearing his throat. "Before I met Red and all of you, I used to have a different trainer, was part of a different team. They weren't so different from you guys, actually."

"You told us that your trainer abandoned you, and left you alone right before a rainstorm hit," Groot protested. "None of us would do that."

"_You_ wouldn't do that," Star agreed. "But, Red…"

"Are you serious?" Lucina snorted. "Red loves us. Probably a little too much, considering how hard he's taking Rocket's death. Even if he_ is_ trying to hide it."

"But that's my point. I didn't give you any context, but my old trainer was just as protective of us as Red is. When he lost his first Pokemon, he never was the same again. He made paranoid decisions, got more Pokemon killed. When he finally released me, it was because he was afraid he was going to get me killed. I was his last Pokemon. He was giving up as a trainer."

"Red would never give us up though!" Jackie piped up. "He knows we're strong! He's definitely the most driven human I've ever met."

"Then why did he toss Thor into the storage system like that?" Star asked. "We're down to five, and the fox is a tough little sprout."

"Yeah, but he hasn't been trained like we've been," Groot said, not sounding very certain.

Star-Lord pointed a clawed finger at Drax. "So was he when Red caught him. Pokemon never start out strong. The whole reason we look for trainers is to become powerful under their tutelage. Red's losing his grip, it's as simple as that. I've seen it before."

"What are you getting at?" Jackie growled. "Are you asking us to just abandon Red? Because that's not happening!"

"Yeah, dude, you're jumping the gun a bit," Drax said. "Red and Rocket were close, it makes sense that Red might be off his game for a bit. And what do we do, anyway? Find another trainer?"

"Yes!" Star-Lord said. "We're a powerful team of Pokemon! We could finally find a trainer that actually might go somewhere! Let's face it, even though we've won a few gym matches, we all know Red doesn't have what it takes. Maybe we could find that Blue guy. He seems capable. Who's with me?"

He looked at their uncomfortable places uncomprehendingly, unable to understand why they weren't as enthusiastic as he was.

"Star, I was given to Red to help him with some of his emotional issues," Groot said. "I'm a therapy Pokemon first and a battler second. I'll admit it, I'm way over my head in what Red's going through right now, but I'm going to do my best to support him because I care about him."

"And I'm not going anywhere either!" Jackie folded her arms. "I've been with Red almost as long as Rocket has, and I've watched him claw his way up from the very bottom. Shit happens, but I've never lost faith in him for a second."

Star-Lord grit his teeth. "Lucina, you're a smart girl. Back me up."

"Look, I'm retiring after this next gym battle anyway," Lucina said, shrugging. "But until then, I promised to stick with him. I practically spent my whole life with him, so I'm not j gonna just leave."

Star-Lord, practically gnashing his teeth at this point, looked pleadingly at Drax, who was leaning back comfortably in his chair.

"You can do what you want," he said lazily. "If everyone wanted to leave, maybe I'd join them. But everyone here, you included, are like, my new best pals. If they're staying, I'm staying. You're outvoted, bud."

"Well, I see that Red's weakness is rubbing off on all of you," Star-Lord drawled. "Whatever. I tried to protect you. But when we all die, I'm reserving the right to say 'I told you so'."

He stomped out of the room, muttering to himself, leaving the rest of Red's team uncertain of what to say next.

Drax broke the ice, chuckling. "I notice that Star doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Bark's worse than his bite, eh?"

"He's scared," Groot said, nodding after the Charmeleon. "He's pretty bad at expressing it. And I'm pretty sure he likes us a lot more than he lets on."

"If that's the case, we're just gonna have to survive and prove him on!" Jackie declared, a bit of her old enthusiasm back in her tone. She punched an open fist. "Can't wait to see the look on Star's face when he realizes what an idiot he's being!"


	48. Four Steps Back

The Celadon City gym was the most highly regarded in terms of aesthetics in Kanto, as Erika had ensured upon her inauguration that it would be essentially transformed into a greenhouse. Kanto was scarce in unique and beautiful foliage and flowers, but Erika had been born and raised in Johto, known for its pretty, rural landscape, so she was allowed to pull a few strings.

The gym had glass walls, allowing its interior to be seen by the outside world, and, as most of Celadon was urbanized, the abundance of beautiful shrubs, flowers, and cherry blossoms made the gym quite the attraction. She had designed it to resemble the parks of Fuschia City, and this, coupled with the fact that Celadon was the second biggest city in Kanto, meant the gym was frequently crowded.

Now the gym was downright mobbed by enthusiasts, tourists, and reporters, thanks to the news that Red would be challenging Erika. A cocky upstart from Pallet and the self proclaimed rival of Blue Oak, Red had been getting popular after his string of recent successes. The fact that he was so involved in battling Rocket Industries also fueled the fire.

Ordinarily, Red would have loved the attention, but now he was pushing his way through the crowd, desperate in his attempt to get to the gyms doors. Jackie helped a bit, growling at the hoards of fans harassing her trainer, demanding they give Red a wide berth.

"Red, are you all right?" she mumbled, low enough so only he could hear her. "I know you get pre-battle jitters, but Celadon's really cool! Don't you want to sightsee a bit?"

"Sure, but I don't think I'll be able to focus on anything until we put this battle behind us," Red said. "Trust me, I can't wait to unwind after we win this next badge. Arceus knows we deserve a break."

"Tell me about it," Jackie agreed, but narrowed her eyes, noticing Red still seemed to be worried. She reached up, taking his hand in hers. As the only one on the team with opposable thumbs, she was the only one who could really offer that kind of comfort. "Yeesh, your hand is cold!"

Red blushed. "Oh. Um. Sorry."

She squeezed his hand. "It'll be okay, Red. C'mon, we're fighting a grass gym. Lucina and Star-Lord will mop the floor with them. And even if they can't, I'll be there to kick ass as backup! Calm down, okay? At the very least this can't be as scary as Giovanni, right?"

Red smiled. "I guess you have a point. Thanks, Jackie, I think I really needed to hear that."

"We've known each other forever, dude! You know I'll always have your back!"

Nerves easing a bit, Red and Jackie approached the gym, hand in hand.

* * *

Sitting under her favorite willow with her legs folded, facing hundreds of people gathered to watch her gym battle, one might assume Erika to be meditating, mentally preparing.

She was in fact napping.

It was a lovely dream too, at least until she was being shaken awake by one of her attendants.

"Forgive me, ma'am! Red's just arrived."

"Oh!" Erika yawned, slowly rising to her feet. "I'll apologize for keeping him then!"

There he was, dressed in his ridiculous outfit, staring back at her from across the other side of the field. The stands, covered in vines, were full with cheering fans. Red looked uncomfortable under all the attention.

A cold smile formed on Erika's face. Wonderful, the Pikachu's death had softened Red a bit, or at least the persona he typically displayed. It would make the battle all the more easy.

"Please, forgive my tardiness!" Erika said with a curtsey. "I sleep like a rock."

"No trouble!" Red seemed to have steeled his nerves, as he was now smiling confidently. "I'll kick your butt real fast and then you can get back to your nap!"

Erika laughed. "Mmm, if boredom of your lack of skill doesn't put me to sleep first. I suppose we'll see soon enough."

She cleared her throat, gesturing to the people clambering over one another to watch the battle. "I think we've kept you long enough. It's time we finally got started, eh?"

The crowd responded in uproar, loud shouts reverberating around the gym and whistles piercing Erika's eardrums. Red's smile had faded, and he looked up at the crowd nervously, his hands sliding into his pockets.

"Red, you'll be allowed to use six Pokemon in this battle, while I'll be restricted to three. Unlike me, you'll also be able to switch them out whenever you can. The match will end when all Pokemon on one's side is defeated or if either side decides to forfeit.

"Putting your Pokemon on the field of battle puts them at risk. Knowing this, do you challenge me?"

Red was silent so long that the crowd practically answered for him, chanting his name.

"Yeah, I challenge you." Red unsnapped a ball from his belt. She practically heard his heart beating faster, he had so much nervous energy.

"Good. You'd better not disappoint me!" Erika sang. "Rapunzel, I need your help!"

Her trusty Tangela burst out of her own ball, landing in a defensive crouch. Vines untangled themselves from her body, ready for an attack.

"Lucina, you're up!" Red ordered, and a Butterfree emerged from his thrown poke-ball. She gazed down at the Tangela, performing an aerial somersault.

"I see your Pokemon like to show off as much as her trainer!" Erika said. "Rapunzel, use vine whip!"

Four vines snapped out, each flying at Lucina from different directions. The Butterfree was quick, however, weaving around the first two and performing a pirouette to dodge the next. Wings beating, she flew higher and higher in the air, out of Rapunzel's range. The Tangela grunted in annoyance.

"Psybeam!" Red ordered.

Lucina's eyes flashed pink, and she sent forth a swirling beam of psychic energy, spiraling for Rapnuzel. The Tangela hopped to the side, dodging the attack as it hit the grass, tearing deep into the dirt.

"Ah, yes, the famous psychic Butterfree. One of the fan favorites, isn't she?" Erika gave a cloying giggle. "Still, you'll need to get closer if you expect to hit her."

Red bit his lip, but nodded all the same. "Overwhelm the Tangela. She's not fast enough to land a hit on you!"

Lucina shot down in a spectacular dive, as Erika nodded to Rapnuzel, who had already begun to untangle more vines. Once again, Lucina weaved through them, barely slowing her descent as she came closer and closer, and Erika could see the psychic aura blazing in her eyes…

"Now, sludge!" Erika ordered, and Rapunzel switched gears immediately, blasting a ball of poisonous energy out from where her mouth might be.

"Shit!" Red shouted. "Lucy, use teleport!"

The Butterfree reacted, vanishing from sight instantaneously a mere moment before the poison would have collided with her.

"Now, use confusion!" Red cried, ignoring the poisonous blob zipping past his shoulder.

Lucina reappeared behind Rapunzel, and a powerful wave of psychic energy blasted the Tangela off her feet.

"Quite a few parlor tricks I see," Erika noted. "But unfortunately, Rapunzel's vines can move independently."

Lucina tried to move, but a vine shot out, wrapping around her foot. It slammed her against the ground, and the Butterfree shouted out in pain.

"Lucina, break free!" Red barked. "Use psybeam!"

"Take the attack!" Erika said. "Use leech seed!"

Both Pokemon attacked at the same time. Lucina released another spiraling burst of psychic energy, while Rapunzel's own counterattack was a single seed.

Rapunzel went down hard, shrieking in pain from the psychic attack, as thorny vines burst out of the seed, wrapping around Lucina's wings. With a yelp, she dropped like a stone.

"Now, ingrain!" Erika ordered. Roots sank down from Rapunzel's body, digging into the grass, both keeping her in place and healing her, while Lucina struggled to break free from the vines trapping her.

"Lucina, return!" Red shouted, and the Butterfree was recalled in a red light. Erika smirked at her own genius. Already Rapunzel was healing off the damage Lucina had caused. Red had definitely come off their first struggle worse.

"Looks like someone expected they could defeat me handily with a bug type," Erika said, batting her eyes at Red innocently. "I'm afraid there's more to grass types than you might think."

Red grunted, pulling out his second poke-ball. "Was hoping I wouldn't have to use you too soon, but I don't have much choice.

"Star-Lord!"

A Charmeleon, clearly one of good breeding judging by his size and the intensity of the flame at the end of his tail, stomped forward, letting out a roar. If the crowd had been loud before, they were absolutely deafening now. Star-Lord was Red's most powerful Pokemon, his star player.

And, well, they were about to see him play.

"Unleash as many vines as you can!" Erika shouted. "Overwhelm him quickly!"

Rapunzel untangled more vines from her body, whipping out more than Erika could count, but Star-Lord moved like a puma, his claws flashing, tearing through vines with ease. Rapunzel casted out more and more, but the Star-Lord was moving so fast it didn't even matter.

"Ember!" Red ordered.

Star-Lord opened his mouth, unleashing a jet of flame that Rapunzel wasn't fast enough to avoid. The flame collided with the Tangela in an explosion of smoke, though when it cleared she was still standing. Still, her legs were trembling, and Erika knew she wouldn't be able to take another hit if she didn't heal from her ingrain move quickly.

"Keep attacking! It doesn't matter if you don't cause him damage, just keep him in place!"

The Tangela nodded, and soon sludge attacks were mingling in with her onslaught of vines. Star-Lord ducked to the side like a boxer, but the frequency of Rapunzel's attacks kept him from being more aggressive.

"Alright, Star! I know how we can handle this!" Red said. "Use dig!"

The Charmeleon flashed his trainer a grin before tunneling into the ground, an easy feat considering the flooring had been transformed into a garden. Rapunzel yelped as the ground exploded under her feet, Star-Lord tearing through the roots she was using to heal. He was on her in an instant, tearing into her with his claws, her vines ripping apart…

"Star-Lord, back off!" Red shouted. "She's beaten!"

Star-lord actually rolled his eyes in annoyance, stomping away from the fallen Tangelea. Erika didn't hesitate, recalling her Pokemon.

"An impressive first showing. Dig is certainly a unique move for a Charmeleon." Erika gave a short bow, and applause broke out in the crowd. Red smiled; his old confidence seeming to have returned.

Erika reached for another poke-ball. It was about time she tore him down.

"Flynn, you're up next!"

A Victreebel stood at the ready, letting out a loud screech, its mouth drooling and its tiny eyes fixated on Star-Lord, who let out another roar in challenge.

"If we can take down one grass type, we can take 'em all!" Red said. "Ember!"

Star-Lord bounded forward, unleashing another blast of heat from his mouth. The flame slammed into Flynn so fast Erika wasn't able to call out an order in time, but he only slid back, hissing in pain.

"My grass types are raised to endure pain, sweetie," Erika said. "Razor leaf!"

The Victrebeel shook his body, unleashing a torrent of razor sharp leaves that flew at Star far faster than any of Rapunzel's moves. Unable to dodge in time, Star-Lord moved his arms up to shield his face, and the spinning leaves sliced into his skin, drawing blood.

"That weak attack won't faze you! Charge him down!" Red barked, and the Charmeleon sprinted forward, fire blazing from his mouth and tail.

"Slap him silly with your vines!" Erika said, her voice without strain.

Though he lacked the sheer amount of vines Rapunzel had at her disposal, the two that shot out of Flynn's body moved with much greater strength and speed. Star-Lord was forced to abandon his charge to the first attack, and the vines struck the earth with enough force to crack the dirt.

Star-Lord stumbled back as Flynn pressed his advantage, his vines thrusting them towards the Chameleon. He ducked and the first zipped past his head, but wasn't quick enough to dodge the other, and it slapped hard against his shoulder. Star-Lord groaned in pain.

Erika nodded in satisfaction. That would be enough to leave a bruise at the very least.

"We can still turn the tables on her, Star!" Red said. "Use dig!"

The Charmeleon dove into the same hole he had dug into before, and Erika nodded at her Victreebel. Like Rapunzel before him, roots dug from Flynn's body into the earth, though they were more aggressive and spread out, sensing the Charmeleon's approach.

Erika snapped her fingers, and Star-Lord burst out of the ground, trapped in root-like tendrils that had wrapped around his chest, arms and legs.

"Aw, shit!" Red said.

"Roots are like feelers, sweetie!" Erika said. "We could see exactly where you were coming. Use poison powder!"

Flynn unleashed purple spores from his shaking leaves, and they sank into Star-Lord's skin. Now under the poison status effect, Star-Lord noticeably began to pale, the light at the end of his tail beginning to weaken.

"Dammit, Star, break free! Use your tail!" Red cried, desperation in his tone.

The prehensile tail shot up, searing through the tendrils with the flame at the end. Star-Lord rolled free, retching from the poison all the while.

"Return!" Red cried, and the Chameleon disappeared in red light.

"Impressive," Erika noted. "That would have spelled the end for most trainers. You think quickly. Still, I have two Pokemon at full strength, and your most powerful Pokemon is crippled. Not the best position to be in, hmm?"

Red seemed to hesitate, but his grin eventually returned. "Back to you, Lucina!"

The Butterfree was definitely a bit worse for wear after the damage she had taken in her previous battle, face beaded with sweat, and she definitely wasn't showing off her fancy flying anymore. Still, her eyes were churning with psychic energy, and her wings were beating powerfully.

Triumph surged in Erika, but she bit her tongue. She could relish later, when Red was at his weakest. Still, she allowed herself the satisfying knowledge that Red had fallen into her trap. How apt that the bug was fighting a venus flytrap.

"Razor leaf!" Erika ordered, knowing the Butterfree would dodge. To all those spectating, it was clear that the Butterfree had the advantage with her speed and ability to fly. Roots didn't help if her opponent stuck to the sky, after all.

"Dodge and use confusion. Make sure to lift him in the air. It's time we take Erika out of her element!" Red said, clearly thinking victory was in his grasp.

Lucina danced around the leaves, and Flynn gasped out in pain as a psychic force slammed him down, before lifting him high in the air; presumably at Lucina's mercy.

Lucina flew in front of him, closing her eyes to concentrate. In the air, Flynn writhed in pain from the super effective damage, his eyes rolling up.

"Looks like we've got this one in the bag!" Red crowed. "You should probably surrender—"

"Use acid, Flynn," Erika said. Quiet though her voice was, it silenced Red instantly.

The Victrebeel ducked his head so its mouth was facing Lucina. He blasted her with a powerful stream of poison.

Lucina screamed in pain, but the psychic connection wasn't immediately broken, and Flynn was unrelenting. A horrible hissing sound could be heard as one of Lucina's wings burned away, and she and Flynn spun to earth, the Victreebel landing in a roll and Lucina against the earth with a devastating crack.

Lucina couldn't seem to pull herself up. Erika, who was facing her, stared impassively. The poison had burned her face so badly it was almost unrecognizable, and drops of the stuff were streaming down to her abdomen. One eye was still blinking, though any semblance of psychic energy was gone. Her remaining wing was beating furiously, uselessly trying to pull her off the ground, and to safety. It was a pointless gesture.

Erika looked up to Red, who's mouth opening and closing uncomprehendingly, and smiled, as cheerfully as any of her other smiles.

"Now, use sludge bomb. Put the poor dear out of her misery."

Red seemed to come to life. "No, wait! WAIT!"

But Flynn had already dropped an ocean of sludge that swept over Lucina's body. When enough of it had dissipated, or else splashed onto the grass, there wasn't much of Lucina left. Her sole wing was still beating weakly.

The nerves in that wing hadn't been informed that she was dead yet.

* * *

Red didn't hear the cries of disgust that exploded from the crowd, he was too busy tapping the button on Lucina's poke-ball, trying to recall her. His finger was going numb, but if he could just get her in there, he knew the Pokemon Center would be able to heal her. She wasn't like Rocket she wasn't like Rocket—

Erika cleared her throat, and when Red's eyes shot to her, she smiled sweetly at him. "Are you going to send out your next Pokemon?"

Rage beat denial. She hadn't an iota of guilt for what she'd done. He needed to beat her first, then he could—

He caught another sight of Lucina had become. Her wing had finally given up.

Bile rose up in his throat, but he forced it down. Red couldn't be like how everyone thought he was. This was just a cruel test. He had steeled himself for this.

"Jackie, I need you!" he muttered out, and he pressed the button on her ball.

For a moment, Jackie's expression brought Red to a better time. She was winking at him, giving him a thumbs' up. She was silently telling him that she'd support him because she believed in him, knew he wouldn't let her down.

Then she caught sight of Lucina too, and she let out a horrible wail. Red let out a choked out whimper. He couldn't think of anything to say.

He didn't even have time to try. Jackie was rabid now, charging down Erika's Victreebel in a full sprint, her battlecry a horrible mix of fury and misery. Erika grinned at her reckless attack like Christmas had come early.

"Jackie, no!" Red screamed after her. "She'll kill you if you attack her like that!"

But Jackie was beyond reason, kneeing the Victreebel with all her strength. Crying and laughing, she was beating down on the Victreebel with her fists, so drunk on her own desperate attempt at revenge she hadn't noticed tendrils wrapping around her body.

"Use bind!" Erika ordered. She was laughing too. It wasn't like Jackie's sobbing cackles, but a delighted giggle, as though she were watching an amusing show.

Jackie's cries turned into strangled gasps as the Victreebel's roots began to wound tight around her body, tight enough to squeeze blood out of her. Her cacophony of anger and sadness was replaced with pleading, and she clawed desperately at the tendril crushing her throat.

"Return!" Red cried, but the Victreebl merely pulled Jackie away from the red light. "Erika, stop! I surrender!"

"Oh, there's no running away from a trainer battle that's already in motion!" Erika giggled again.

Desperate tears were leaking from Jackie's eyes, and she looked back at Red, silently begging him to free her. Instincts kicked in and Red charged onto the field, willing to pry off the tendrils himself if he had to.

"Snap its neck, dear," Erika said, merely raising an eyebrow at Red.

"NO!"

The Victreebel's vines jerked, and Jackie hung limply in his arms. A moment later he dropped her down to the grass.

Red fell to his knees halfway across the battlefield. His vision went blurry, and he let out a strangled sob. They _were _like Rocket…

"Would you like to surrender now?" Erika asked. Red stared up at her. She was looking at him like he had gotten an equation wrong at the blackboard.

Strangely, it was now that the uproar of the audience began to ring true to his brain. They had gotten over their surprise and were now beginning to chant.

"Send out Star-Lord! Send out Star-Lord! Send out Star-Lord!"

"Obnoxious, aren't they?" Erika said. "Two have lost their lives and they're simply enjoying the show."

"Why are you doing this?" Red mumbled out. "How can you possibly get so much enjoyment out of causing pain?"

Erika laughed. "Because it's my job! I'm entertaining people, sweetie! If you don't love what you do then you're in the wrong career!"

Her cheery countenance transformed to cold dislike. "Send out your Pokemon or run away, little boy. I abhor wasting time."

"SEND OUT STAR-LORD! SEND OUT STAR-LORD!"

"Star!" Red snapped out, insistent on shutting out their noise. The Charmeleon let out yet another roar as he was unleashed from his ball, and for a moment, it drowned out the audience.

"I-I screwed up, Star," Red mumbled, as the Charmeleon looked at the two bodies still littering the grassy field. "I'm sorry."

Star-Lord stared from Lucina's obliterated form to Jackie's limp corpse. When he turned to Red, pain and rage lit up his eyes like a kaleidoscope. "When I bring that Victreebel down, you better not stop me from fucking murdering it in cold blood."

Red managed a weak nod. "Please, just get it over with. I want to go home."

Star-Lord whipped his head around, blasting Flynn off his feet with a dragon rage. Not expecting the move, the Victreebel hit the grass hard, and Star-Lord launched himself forward, hissing in pain slightly from the poison effect.

"Flynn!" Erika said, sounding slightly more alarmed. "Use sludge—"

But Star-Lord's claws were already cutting deep into the Victreebel's flesh, drawing blood. Flynn blasted him in point blank range with a blob of poison, causing his head to snap back, but he quickly regained his footing, growling.

Both breathing heavily now, Star lunged once more as Flynn's tendrils burst out of the dirt, thrown aggressively at his foe. Star sliced through three with his claws, but a forth stabbed deep into his stomach. Howling in rage and anger, Star-Lord bit down hard onto Flynn's throat, mouth coated in flame. With all of his effort he hurled the Victreebel to the earth.

Before Star-Lord could attack further, Erika returned the badly beaten Flynn to her poke-ball. "Not bad."

Star collapsed on one knee, shuddering in pain. Blood poured from the wound in his stomach, staining the grass below. He was sweating from the poison effect.

"Return!" Red shouted, and the Charmeleon vanished. With Star so badly hurt, he only had two Pokemon left to use...and one of them was at a disadvantage against grass types.

"I'm down to my last Pokemon," Erika said, pulling out an ultra ball. "And she just so happens to be my strongest, too! Won't that be fun? You'll be next, Gothel!"

A Vileplume's red eyes glittered cruelly, her small smirk matching Erika's. Red could tell instantly from her level that she was as powerful as Erika said, perhaps even as strong as Surge's Raichu.

"Groot, I'm counting on you!" Red cried, tapping the button on the Ivysaur's ball. Like Jackie and Star-Lord before him, he stared at the carnage in front of him, uncomprehendingly.

"Red?" he looked up at his trainer, right now more confused than sad. "What happened?"

A sludge bomb blasted Groot while he was distracted, sending him rolling away, yelping in pain.

"Now's not the time to get distracted!" Erika tutted. "Gothel, toss some sludge attacks!"

"Groot, try and focus, all right?" Red said, trying to keep his voice from breaking. "Use razor leaf!"

Groot's torrent of leaves was dodged with ease, however, and the poor Ivysaur was sent sprawling from a second sludge bomb. Struggling to his feet, he casted out his vines, but Gothel merely allowed them to wrap around her stubby arms.

"I'm a professional grass type user, Red," Erika said. "Do you really think you can beat me at my own game?"

Gothel yanked on the vines, and Groot was thrown off balance, thrown forward to meet her. The Vileplume performed a vicious roundhouse kick, striking Groot in the head and sending him slapping against the wall. Above his head, the audience groaned in sympathy.

As Groot was once again struggling to rise, Erika nodded at Gothel.

"End it with one last sludge bomb!"

"No!" Red shouted. "Return!"

The Ivysaur was recalled before the attack could land. Erika didn't look very bothered.

"It seems to me that you're running out of options, Red," she said. "And you've essentially given me a free attack to whatever you choose to switch in. Trust me when I say I won't waste it."

Red bit the inside of his lip, trying to think of a way to win without losing anyone else. Groot was completely outclassed, and Drax was a water type. Star-Lord was the one Pokemon who had a chance, but he was badly wounded. Unless of course, he had the chance to heal the Charmeleon…

"Star! Drax!"

Two Pokemon emerged. Star was taking gasping breaths. It didn't take long before Drax's usual smile slowly faded when he saw the look on Red's face.

"Drax, we can't win this without Star. You don't have to fight, you just have to hold that Vileplume off long enough for me to heal him."

"What?" Star hissed. "Forget that! Send me out, he's going to die out there!"

"Star, you're dead on your feet! If you try to fight now you're going to get yourself killed!"

Drax, meanwhile, seemed to have finally caught on. He took in the bodies on the battlefield, Star about to succumb to poison, the pleading look on Red's face…

He smiled. "Sure, man. I can handle one turn."

He stepped onto the battlefield. Erika chuckled.

"We can still pull through, just hold still!" Red cried, rummaging through his backpack,finding an antidote.

"I can handle this!" Star snarled, trying to look for an opening, but Red blocked his path. "If you don't let me fight, he's going to-"

"Use petal dance." Erika said.

"N-no!" Red screamed, fumbling for Drax's poke-ball, but it was too late.

A tornado of razor-sharp petals pierced Drax's body with enough force to lift him up in the air. For a moment he seemed to float, before he fell down hard on his shell. Petals were protruding from his legs, his hands, his chest…

And three had sliced through his throat.

Drax's smile was still there, but now it seemed sad. It seemed knowing.

Red didn't react, but behind him, he heard Star-Lord snort.

"They should have listened to me."

"Star?"

Red watched the Charmeleon limp past him, hand covering his gut wound. "Star, let me try and—"

"You've done enough, Red." Star-Lord stared back at him, his teeth grinding together. "You never should've become a trainer. You don't have it in you. And we all paid the price because you couldn't accept that."

Red tried to say something, but his voice caught in his throat. "You're right."

"Then promise me never to battle again. That kid, Thor. He deserves someone better."

Red cursed, realizing too late what Star-Lord was going to do, and tried to reach for Star's ball, but the Charmeleon's tail whipped towards, and Red was thrown on his back, screaming in pain from the fire that was burning through his shirt, searing his skin.

Ignoring the fact that he was on fire, Red forced himself up just in time to see Star-Lord sprint through another petal dance, the petals stripping his very flesh away. He still kept running.

Star-Lord pounced on Gothel, wrapping her in a tight bear hug. They screamed in agony as flame exploded between them. Star had used all of the energy that remained in him to bring the Vileplume down with him.

They both collapsed, Gothel on her back and Star-Lord on his stomach. Brave, powerful Star-lord no longer looked immortal but weak and scrawny, strewn about on the grass. The light at the end of his tail, now little more than a candle, flickered.

Then it went out.

Red tore off his now ruined shirt, tossing it away and ridding himself of the fire, his eyes still stinging from the pain. He couldn't see Erika's reaction, but he did see Gothel the Vileplume slowly rising back to her feet.

She was burnt badly, and a few of her flower petals had been seared off, but she was still standing, and she was smiling.

Erika began to laugh. It was a hysterical, shrill giggle. "Oh my, what a light show! But, ultimately pointless!"

She wiped a tear from her eye. "You have one Pokemon left, Red. It's time for your story to end."

Red didn't remember making his hand move, but it did, and Groot was set free from his ball.

"I'm the worst trainer ever, Groot," he said. "Please, run away."

"We need to get you to a hospital, Red!" Groot said. "You're hurt really badly."

"I can't give up." Red apparently wasn't standing anymore, because he was eye level with Groot now. "I'm not going to walk away from what's supposed to happen. But you should. You can't help me anymore."

Groot smiled at Red sadly. His vine reached out, wiping away tears Red hadn't even known he had. "I'm not going anywhere, Red. I'm with you until the end. And I don't think I'd be able to forgive myself if I didn't try to win."

"Groot, please!" Red whimpered, trying to grab on to him, keep him from leaving. "You _can't_ win! You'll die!"

Groot was crying too now, and his fragile smile was trembling. "I know."

He turned and bounded off to fight the Vileplume.

"Groot!" Red cried after him, and he tried to force himself onto his feet, trying not to vomit from the smell of his own burnt flesh.

"Petal dance," Erika barked, and the torrent of petals threw Groot back, slashing his skin. The Ivysaur curled into fetal position, managing to protect his vitals. He rose to his feet, unsteady but sure.

"I surrender!" Red screamed. "Just stop!"

But Groot was shouting in outrage, charging down Gothel once more. The Vileplume performed another petal dance. Groot's vines casted out in an attempt to deflect the attack, but the petals sliced through them with ease. Petals impaled themselves into Groot's face and front legs, and he went down hard.

"Why isn't anyone stopping this?" Red sobbed.

"Because this is what battling is!" Erika said. The Vileplume took one last satisfied look at Groot's bloody body and was now approaching Red. Poison dripped from her hands. "Brutal and primitive? Certainly, but do you see anyone jumping to your defense? I'm simply providing entertainment on a grander scale then they're used to, and they're eating it up, watching in fascination like it's a car crash in motion!"

"You won't get away with this. This battle violated every law the league has. You're going to get arrested! They'll never let this fight air! What could you possibly be trying to accomplish?"

Erika shrugged. "It might not air legally, but this fight will still go viral throughout all of Kanto. Me being arrested won't change that. I've been watching your progress as trainer, Red; your whole persona was a perfect example of the Pokemon League's hypocrisy. A foolish boy, skilled though fragile, you tried to dominate the sport without accepting the sacrifices that come with it. I'll admit I got far more carried away than usual, but I just can't help it, you're too much fun!"

"It's not like that." Every atom in Red told him to just let his body shut down and let himself heal, but he stayed on his feet. "You're just a monster. You only reflect the worst parts of battling."

"Honey, of course I'm a monster," Erika said, as though this were obvious. "But I'm also the only one who embraces Pokemon for what they're meant for. If you take part in battling without relishing the innate violence, or try to downplay it, you're lying to yourself. And I hate liars."

The audience was still shouting, no doubt unable to hear what Erika was saying. Maybe they wanted Red to send out another Pokemon. Maybe they wanted him to lose. Red wasn't sure it mattered anymore.

What did matter, however, was the vine that managed to curl around Gothel's leg.

The vine jerked back, and the Vileplume cried out, falling flat on her face. Both Red and Erika whipped their heads back, staring at Groot, who had risen to his feet.

Blood was mingling with his tears, and his feet were trembling, but the expression of pure malice and hate in Groot's eyes scared Red. He let out a scream, and lifted the dazed Vileplume up, before slamming her into the earth.

He continued, slamming Gothel down, again and again, over and over, not letting up, even when the Vileplume stopped struggling. Red was too weak to stop him, and Erika didn't seem to care to.

Groot did finally stop, releasing the Vileplume's foot. He limped over to Red, blood sliding down his fresh wounds. Groot managed to share a weak smile. Red tried to return one, but his body finally gave in, and he collapsed.

"Amazing," Erika said. She turned the Vileplume on her back with her foot. Goethel whimpered in response. "You still couldn't muster up the desire to kill my Pokemon." She huffed "It looks like I've failed. I didn't teach you anything at all."

"I did learn one thing," Red said, as Groot helped him to his feet, and they stumbled for the doors. The crowd had broken into uproarious applause, cheering Red on for his victory.

He couldn't look back to the bodies of his ruined team. He knew he'd break down completely if he did, maybe do something drastic. Instead, he simply hugged Groot close and kept walking away.

"I'm not good enough. I'm never going to battle again."

* * *

Okay, usually I'm not one for author's notes because I prefer to try and let my writing speak for itself, but I think this chapter warrants an explanation.

To nip things in the bud right away, yes, Groot survived the battle. The Nuzlocke isn't over. The story will be split into two books, and the first book ends two chapters from now. Red's story isn't finished.

I hadn't started writing this story until after the Nuzlocke was finished, so I went in knowing this chapter was coming. I'm not really a fan of characters in general, and I knew my generally lighthearted and comedic style of storytelling would make these deaths as shocking and uncomfortable as they were when Erika kicked my ass. I was definitely taken out of my comfort zone with this chapter, especially considering that I've been writing this characters for basically two years.

Still, these deaths happened in my run, and I'm not going to pretend they didn't. I severely underestimated how overpowered bind was in Gen 1, and got some really bad luck, and nearly had a team wipe. A morbid part of me thinks that this kind of exactly what you guys as readers want. I mean, we read Nuzlockes for the deaths, don't we?

This story is far from finished, despite the carnage, and I hope you guys stick with it. Red still has a lot of development to go through, and he basically needs to raise his team from the ground up. If seeing so much death killed your enthusiasm for the Nuzlocke, though, I get it. I can hardly imagine continuing without Lucina, Jackie, and the rest.

I'd like to give props to my editor, Prem, for talking me through this chapter. It was definitely the most challenging for both of us, and I think he helped change it for the better.

Life goes on, folks! Sorry for sucking so much at Pokemon, guys, and always I'm appreciative of your support! Review if you want, give me shit for killing off your favorite Pokemon if you fancy, and have a nice day!


	49. An End

Red spent the next couple of weeks in the hospital, 'recovering'. The burns that Star-Lord had inflicted had left scars across his chest, all the way up to his shoulders, but the wounds themselves were healing. Groot, on the other hand, was restored to such health that one would never have guessed that he'd battled at all.

Visitors came, though most were a blur in Red's memory. Oak had brought him pastries from home, Jack and John had spent a weekend playing video games with him. None of them talked to Red about what had happened at Erika's gym, and honestly, he was grateful for it.

Only Blue's visit was remarkable, because Red hadn't expected him to come. When he woke up one morning, there Blue was, sitting in a chair and reading _Pokemon Illustrated, _which nastily enough had Red featured on the cover. He was absentmindedly scratching Groot behind the ear.

"He's pretty close to evolution," Blue said, when he noticed Red staring at him. "Should only be a couple more levels."

"You're here," Red said, smiling despite himself. "And to think I was sure you'd be drowning yourself in training."

Blue chuckled. "Oh trust me, I was. Still, uh, friends are there for each other when they need a shoulder to lean on. I'm sorry about what happened, Red."

"Yeah well, you get to say 'I told you so', I guess." Red threw up his hands in exasperation. "You were right. I should've kept my head down, known when to quit. Otherwise my team might still be—"

Red had never seen Blue's smile fade so quickly. It was almost comical.

"Red, I regret saying that," he said, desperation radiating from him. "I never meant it then, and I still don't believe it now."

Red's laugh was hollow. "Well, you don't need to."

Blue didn't say anything else on the subject. Apparently, there was nothing left to say.

Instead, he bit his lip, a little awkwardly. "You know, Kenny's been in the waiting room since—"

"I don't want to see Kenny," Red snapped. He felt like he'd had to repeat himself constantly since his stay at the hospital had begun. "I don't think I could stomach a pep talk from him right now."

"Well, he did want me to leave you a message—"

"A pep talk, you mean?" Red said scathingly. "Thanks, but I really don't want to hear it."

Blue raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, up to you, man."

An awkward silence passed, and Red felt a poignant pang in his heart. Blue and Red had spent their lives talking about battling Pokemon. It was what had secured their friendship. Now that one was giving all of that up, did they really have anything in common anymore?

Red cleared his throat, just when Blue was about to announce that he had to leave.

"Can you tell me something, Blue? I was hoping you could be honest with me."

"Uh, sure." Blue moved to sit down at the corner of his bed. "Shoot."

"This whole situation with the clone. Why do you need to be the hero? And please don't give me the same bull you've been giving Oak and Green. I want a real answer."

Blue hesitated a moment before he chuckled. "Well, I guess you deserve one more than anyone."

His hand moved up to the gem hanging at the end of his necklace, and he began to finger it the way he always did when he was under a lot of stress.

"I'm someone special, Red."

"Jeez, getting narcissistic already?" Red teased.

"Oh, shut up, you know what I mean," Blue snorted, swatting at him. "Everyone treats me like I'm _supposed _to be someone special is all that I'm saying. I'm the grandson of probably the most impressive man in Kanto—"

"Champion of the Pokemon League, inventor of the Pokedex, essentially the reason Kanto is independent from Johto in the first place." Red ticked off his fingers. "Uh, yeah. Pretty impressive dude."

"So here, I am. A prodigy. The second coming of my father, a trainer who's tremendous battling career was cut short by the very clone we're trying to beat now. It's almost goddamn poetic, me challenging that thing."

His grip tightened around his gemstone. "I could wind up being a great trainer, maybe even beat gramps and become the next champion. But none of that really matters, does it? It's just sloppy seconds. The only way I'd ever be anyone worthwhile is if I accomplished something dynamic, made a real difference, broke boundaries. With all the gifts I've been given, with all the opportunities I've had, anything less than saving Kanto and avenging my father's death would feel underwhelming. I'd always feel empty."

Red nodded. "Believe me, I understand how claustrophobic it is when people compare you to your parents. Look at the woman I had to grow up with. But Mewtwo...this isn't just about you, Blue. Kanto could be at risk if you're not good enough. Your grandpa was pretty clear when he said that provoking Mewtwo would cause it to raze all of Kanto. You're willing to take that risk?"

"That's just it, though. Gramps is kidding himself, because Mewtwo's not going to stay unprovoked forever. Giovanni's made sure of that. If Rocket fails to stop Mewtwo, we have a rabid psychic behemoth on our hands. If Rocket wins...well, then we have a powerful organization led by a man who owns a rabid psychic behemoth.

"The best I can do is destroy Mewtwo first." Blue shrugged his shoulders. "Or capture. If Giovanni thinks he can do it, I can do it. Regardless, I'm really not seeing many other options. If you have a better idea, I'd be happy to hear it."

"I don't," Red admitted. "Go nuts, Blue. I'm the last person to judge. Train your ass off and see what you can do. I'm not going to pretend I have all the answers."

Blue nodded, though he didn't seem satisfied with Red's response. Later, when he was on his way out, he looked back. "Er, Red?"

"Yeah?"

"If you ever decide you want to throw yourself back into this, you got my support, man. If I could have anyone to fight Mewtwo by my side, it'd be you."

Red had thought Blue had been patronizing back at Lavender. Now he could see Blue was completely genuine in what he was saying, almost pleading. Somehow that was so much scarier.

Still, he tried for a smile. "Thanks, Blue. I'll keep that in mind."

Now who was the patronizing one?

* * *

The journey back to Pallet was slow and plodding. Red stayed away from the cities, keeping to the dirt paths that twisted around Kanto's roads. He and Groot didn't talk much, but Groot held Red's hand in a vine for comfort, and that made Red feel a bit better about the lonely walk home.

Suspicious men and women, some in Rocket uniforms, some not, were capturing Pokemon in droves, no doubt replenishing their stock after experiencing such serious losses in Cerulean and Lavender. A week ago, Red would have chased them all away, fought them off with movie quotes and a lot of boisterous laughter. Now he let them alone.

A gross part of him was glad that Groot was the only one to survive. Star-Lord or Jackie would have rushed off to battle. Groot was content on waddling alongside his trainer, giving him the occasional comforting smile. He had a habit of growing flowers on his body, plucking them, and giving them to Red. Red was touched, and accepted every one, but his pockets on his jackets were bulged from the influx of daffodils and lilies. He was beginning to look like a flower salesman.

The sharpest part of Red's memory of his shameful walk home was when he arrived in Viridian Forest.

It was overpopulated, teeming with Pokemon that were no longer safe in their old homes. They watched him trudge through the forest alongside his Ivysaur. Two Pikachu caught sight of them, and Red, realizing who they were, fought a mad urge to run.

"I was wondering when you might be back!" Rocket's father said, scurrying down a tall tree to meet them. "Planning on surfing to Fuchsia City from Pallet Town?"

"You should stay the night, dears," Rocket's mother said, smiling at them as she hopped down from a branch. "We renovated our sweet hamlet in the trees to make it more human-friendly and I can't wait to hear your stories."

Red couldn't say anything. He just wasn't equipped to. So he stared at the two Pikachu instead.

Groot, who had never met Rocket's parents, was looking back between them and Red bemusedly, struggling to understand the connection between them.

"Are you all right?" Rocket's mother said, her smile fading a little. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Where's our son?" Rocket's father said.

Red still couldn't say anything. He watched them slowly realize the grisly truth for themselves, the horror dawning on their faces.

"What the hell did you do to our son?" Rocket's father's voice was as cold as ice.

"I'm sorry," Red whimpered.

The lightning bolt hit him so fast that his back hit the dirt faster than the pain ran through his body. He moaned out, shaking from agony so sharp and throbbing that tears were rolling down his cheeks. He tried to say something else, but he was in so much pain he couldn't get the words out.

"You're a monster!" Rocket's mother was screaming at him, her cheeks still emitting electrical energy from the thundershock she had blasted Red with. "You took the most wonderful, selfless boy in the world and reduced him to ashes."

She hit him with another lighting bolt and Red screamed out an apology, clawing at his face. There was a horrible satisfaction to the pain, the knowledge that someone was punishing him so he didn't have to do it to himself anymore.

"Stop it!" Groot was crying out in Red's defense, standing over his convulsing body. "You don't know what happened! It wasn't his fault!"

"Of course it was his fault, you little shit!" Rocket's mother screamed. "He let our little boy fight! And you don't get to say anything! _You _survived!"

She let loose another bolt of lightning, but Groot jumped in front of it, taking the blow. She was much lower in level than him, and his grass typing resisted it, but all the same, Red felt disgust at his own weakness wash over him.

"Groot, stop," he managed to say weakly. "I deserve this."

"No, you don't!" Groot wheeled around to glare at him. "You feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to help anyone!"

Red fell silent. Rocket's mother had broken into sobs, her rage giving away to a miserable sort of acceptance.

"Ma'am, sir, your son died a hero," Groot explained. "He died protecting—"

"Oh, enough!" Rocket's father hissed. He hadn't made any move to attack, and somehow that made him seem more imposing. "He died for a _human _cause, at best. A worthless cause. You brought him to fight, brainwashing him like every other trainer does. And, like every other trainer, your Pokemon die for your ideals while you get to walk free."

He didn't say another word, instead pulling Rocket's mother into his arms, allowing her to cry into his chest. His shoulders shook with suppressed despair.

Red was lying on the ground long after the two Pikachu left. They were right. Red had been told his whole journey that Pokemon were intrinsically violent and bloodthirsty, fundamentally different from humans, and that it was a fact Red needed to understand.

But was Rocket bloodthirsty and violent when he sacrificed himself to save Red and his team's life?

Was Lucina bloodthirsty and violent when she told Red she wanted to retire, escape from countless battles?

Was Jackie, for wanting to avenge her friend?

Was Drax, for stepping out for a fight he knew he couldn't win, just to stall for time?

Was Star-Lord, who had tried to hard to protect the team that Red was too incompetent to keep alive?

And was Groot, sweet, wonderful, empathetic Groot, who gave Red flowers, and talked a grieving couple down instead of fighting them off for attacking his trainer?

It was bullshit, and as much as he loathed her beyond all question, Erika had been right about everything.

* * *

Delia was awoken by a knocking at the door. She yawned, wondering if she should bother to put on pants.

That was the thing, though. Whenever Delia wondered if she should bother, it wasn't long before she came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth bothering about.

She opened the door.

There was Red, staring at her.

She smiled. She had been expecting him any day now.

"Hi, Red," she said. "I assume you won't be leaving for a long time."

"I'm done," Red agreed. His eyes were dead. The fire was finally gone. That was a relief. "You were right."

"Mother knows best, dear." She hugged him. He didn't respond to it. "I told you that by fooling yourself, it'd only bring you grief. Didn't I?"

"Yeah. You did."

"Good boy." She turned and walked back into the house. "It's a pigsty here. Make yourself useful and clean up. Mommy missed you."

"I missed you, too mom." He began gathering trash into a plastic bag. "I assume you want me to get you a drink?"

"Get two, sweetie. One for each of us. Something strong too. I can tell you'll need it."

Red had always rejected alcohol. Probably because he was afraid he'd end up like Delia. Now, though…

"Okay."

Red flopped down on the couch, vodka in hand. He hadn't bothered with shot glasses. Red's Ivysaur took over the cleaning, though he watched Red and Delia clink their bottles with obvious discomfort. Delia took a swig of hers, getting quite a bit of it down her throat like the professional she was. Red tried to follow suit and came up gagging and sputtering.

Delia chuckled. "Keep at it. You'll get it."

Still coughing, Red wiped at his eyes. "Y-yeah. Just gotta get used to it."

As he downed the bottle again, Delia reached over to stroke his hair. "There you are. Exactly where you're supposed to be."


	50. Team Rocket

Fuchsia City, thanks to its well-maintained gardens, protected Pokemon reserves, and Johtian cultured style in its design, was considered one of the most beautiful landmarks in all of Kanto.

It also managed to stay unobtrusive, free from most tourists. There were a few reasons for that.

The first lay in the context of the city's founding. Fuchsia had originally started as a settlement for Johtian refugees who had fled to Kanto during the Indigo War. Preferring to continue to celebrate their way of life rather than assimilate with Kantonian customs, they remained isolated, building their city mostly on their own. Kanto, in return, tolerated them with grudging respect, but didn't seem so keen in interacting with the city. Only trainers looking to challenge Koga ever really visited.

The second reason was Fuchsia's location. The city itself might have been beautiful, but it was surrounded by what was essentially a desolate wasteland, without much foliage and certainly without any attractions. Fuchsia City was isolated, an inconvenience for travelers.

Finally, Charles' Heartbreakers had been a thorn in Southern Kanto for years, parking themselves in Routes 18 and 19 to rob blind anyone who dared cross their territory. As a result, one of Kanto's most ambitious constructions, Cycling Road, which had acted as a bridge to connect Route 17 and 18, had been made useless. Though now one could cross the sea from Celadon to get to Fuchsia, the risk of being mugged was enough to keep most away.

The Elite Four, however, weren't afraid of a mere biker gang.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Charles gulped, glancing behind him as his motorcycle roared down Route 18, leaving behind clouds of dust. "We're way out of our league here!"

"You think?" Green screamed into his ear. "We're fighting the Elite fucking Four!"

"Fighting? More like running away screaming!"

Indeed, what had started as a pitched battle had turned into a complete rout, and Charles had simply decided that the only recourse was to retreat. It was an odd sight, a dozen burly men on motorcycles fleeing for their lives, some of them crying.

Of course, the Dragonite flying behind them warranted such a panic, launching breaths of flame from her maw that forced the bikers to scatter, a couple to go off road and crash. She was closing in too, and Green's nose wrinkled at the smell of brimstone.

Realizing that it was opening her mouth to use a hyper beam, Green tapped a button on one of her balls. Envy the Jigglypuff appeared, before nearly being carried off by the wind. Green cursed, grabbing her by the foot and yanking her onto the motorcycle.

"Envy, use hyper voice!" Green shouted, jamming her fingers into her ears. "Chuck, cover your ears!"

"My hands need to be on the handlebars you dumb-"

Envy let out a horrid scream, waves of sound flying up at the Dragonite, who let out a roar, losing her momentum. The motorcycles roared away from it, throwing up dust in the poor Dragonite's face. Charles was bemoaning his fractured eardrums all the while.

* * *

Khan Lance cursed, blocking his face with his cape to keep the dust out of his eye. Slapping Tatsuya's flank, he goaded her to land, before sliding off her back. "Clever move, using a sound based attack against us. Doesn't matter how high level you are, the ears will always be sensitive."

He whipped his head around to see whether the rest of the Four had finished mopping up with the Bikers who had stayed behind in an attempt to hold them off. Surprisingly, the bikers weren't all defeated yet, so they had to be at least halfway decent as trainers.

Still, they were getting their asses handed to them by a Hitmonlee and an Arbok, who danced in between their cluttered groups of Pokemon with ease. The Arbok was slippery, causing confusion in their ranks by biting down hard on an arm or a wing before slithering away in one fluid motion, leaving a handful of opponents bemused and left as easy targets for the Hitmonlee's devastating roundhouse kicks.

The Bikers who had been watching this massacre decided that, hey, maybe they didn't necessarily want to be sacrificed, and tried to run to their own bikes, only to find that the wheels were encased in ice.

"Oh crap," one of them managed to mutter, before the Arbok's tail wrapped around his neck and threw him to the ground. It lunged for the others, who had decided to try and make a run for it.

"Enjoy yourself, Amethyst, but not _too_ much," Agatha said, watching her Arbok's attacks, her ancient features lit up with amusement. "We want them alive for questioning after all."

"Shame we couldn't get the whole group," Bruno said, as he returned his Hitmonlee back into his ball.

Clocking in at seven feet, Bruno was without a doubt the biggest man in Kanto, with the build of a heavyweight boxer. Lance had never seen him wearing a shirt, or without the permanent scowl on his face. Bruno wasn't a bad guy, but he certainly wasn't one of humor either.

Right now he was staring at the bikers crossing the border into Fuschia, City, his eyes narrowing. "Spineless."

"Oh, I wouldn't say they were spineless," Lorelei, the youngest of the Elite Four, chimed in. She was cleaning her glasses, which of course kept getting dirty from all the billowing dirt. "If they had tried to stay and fight, then they'd be spineless."

Bruno grunted in confusion. "How do you figure that?"

Lorelei's smile was almost reptilian. "Because suicide is the coward's way out."

Lance let out a guffaw of a laugh as he stepped forward to grip her shoulder. "Well said, but we still have a long way to go. No doubt there are some real heavy hitters lying in wait within the city walls."

"Giovanni always _did _have contingencies," Agatha said with grudging respect. She marched up a small hill, overlooking Fuchsia below. "And it's clear from the defenses they've put up that Sabrina's there as well."

"Yes, well, let's hope it doesn't take us too long to breach the city." Lance wiped the sweat off his brow. "Today is a scorcher."

"It's so hot because you always insist on wearing those black garbs of yours," Lorelei snapped. "Wear short sleeves for once, Arceus!"

Lance turned to give her a wounded look. "You insult my culture. I wear this outfit to honor the Blackthorn Clan. As Khan, I'm proud to display my heritage."

"Mmm." Lorelei squinted at him disbelievingly. "Is that why you wear that ridiculously tacky cape of yours? To honor your culture?"

"Nah, I wear the cape because I think it looks cool."

"Oh enough, you two!" Agatha snapped. "I'm not getting any younger, so can we focus on finding a way to get into Fuchsia City? We've run into a roadblock."

"A roadblock?" Bruno pushed his way past Lance and Lorelei to get a closer look at Fuchsia City. "Oh. Uh. Yeah. Big roadblock."

Fuchsia was protected by a psychic bubble that somehow managed to envelop the entirety of the city. It was too far to see what was capable of such a feat, but it was clearly well maintained, as a portion of the bubble opened up for the retreating bikers to drive into, before closing up behind them.

"Like father, like daughter, eh?" Agatha said under her breath.

"Do you think we'll be powerful enough to break through it?" Lorelei said. Her tone didn't sound very hopeful.

"We won't know until we try," Lance said. "Let's close in, test just how powerful this barrier is."

* * *

The barrier turned out to be quite powerful. Go figure.

"Hyper beam, Tatsuya!" Lance roared, and his Dragonite launched herself forward, opening her maw. The force of her blast was so strong that it caused Lorelei and Agatha to stumble, prompting Bruno to reach out and steady them, but when the smoke cleared the barrier hadn't even been dented.

"Damn!" Lance snapped. "We're going to need to weaken it if we want to cause some real damage. Any ideas?"

"Well, you're looking at an ice type extraordinaire!" Lorelei performed a mock curtsey, her crimson hair flipping back. "If I can freeze sections of the bubble, perhaps Bruno's fighting types will be able to shatter it?"

"Not a bad plan," Agatha admitted. She gave Lorelei a sour look. "Next time you have an idea, please pitch it without all the theatrics, dear."

"Oh, you're just jealous, you old hag. Come on out, girls!"

She threw out three ultra balls, releasing a Jinx, a Dewgong, and a very formidable looking Lapras. "Gretchen and Karen, use ice beam. Regina, use blizzard!"

The temperature in the air seemed to drop as the three Pokemon let loose beams of ice that slammed against the barrier. The ice beams were powerful enough to cause burning cold air to rise from the impact, but what was really impressive was the Lapras's blizzard, which managed to leave a large area of the bubble coated in frost. Seeing that they struck gold, Gretchen and Karen aimed where Regina was attacking. Soon it had hardened, covered in ice.

"Our turn!" Bruno said. "Lee, Chan, Musasahi!"

A Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, and Primeape emerged, wasting no time in charging for the ice. The Primeape arrived first, screeching as it struck the frozen area of the bubble with beating fists. It cracked.

Then everything went wrong.

Musasahi the Primeape gagged, falling to his knees as he clutched at his throat. A little further away, the Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee collapsed as well.

"I don't understand," Bruno muttered.

"Koga." Lance growled in realization. "He must have Weezings surround the city in poisonous fumes. Bruno, call your Pokemon back before they succumb to it!"

Bruno didn't hesitate, recalling his Pokemon, looking both embarrassed and furious. "How can we possibly get in?"

"Our special attacks won't be much use, even if they do cause damage to the barrier," Lance remarked, after staring at the icy cracks appraisingly. "Not if we can't actually get into the city. And even if we all attacked it at once, Weezing is explosive. A chain reaction could wipe us all out with ease."

"It sounds like I'm the woman for the job then," Agatha said, pulling out two ultra balls of her own from her purse. "Violet, Mauve! At attention, ladies!"

Violet and Mauve were a pair of Gengar. They looked up at their trainer with matching wide, toothy grins.

"Immune to the poison, and they're ghost typing protects them from normal attacks like self-destruct or explosion!" Lorelei looked elated. "Good thinking, Agatha!"

"Flattery will get you nowhere, dear." Agatha slammed her cane against the dirt. "Cause some chaos and clear us a path!"

The Gengars let out bloodcurdling laughs as they floated down to the city, ghostly energy swarming around their purple hands. Unbothered by the poisonous gas, they began to aim attacks at the barrier, cracking it further.

"It's a good thing there's a poison type expert among us in the Elite Four." Lance smiled, watching the Gengars attack the barrier with satisfaction. "We'd really be in a tough spot otherwise."

"I'm a ghost type trainer, not poison," Agatha corrected.

Lorelei's eyebrow raised. "All the Pokemon on your team are poison types, including the two ghosts. In fact, you only have one pair of Gengars. You're like a textbook poison type trainer."

"Well, I'm sorry," Agatha snapped. "There just so happens to not be many ghost types in Kanto to choose from!"

"Then just go to Johto, catch a Misdreavus or something!"

"Disgusting. I wouldn't go near Johto if I were paid to."

"Agatha, I'm right here," Lance deadpanned.

"We have a problem," Bruno grunted, perhaps a little louder than usual to interrupt his colleagues' bickering. One of the Gengars had been thrown back, hitting the dirt with a yelp.

An Alakazam, eyes radiating with power, stepped up to the injured Gengar, surrounded by a small bubble shield of his own, no doubt to protect him from the poisonous gas.

"_Sabrina," _Agatha hissed. "Mauve, help out Violet!"

Mauve turned, about to lunge for the Alakazam from behind, only to be interrupted as a Crobat bit down deep into her arm. As she shrieked, stumbling away, Violet jumped back to her feet, launching a shadow ball at the Alakazam. The Alakazam, however, merely swished one of the spoons in its hands, and the shadow ball was redirected, sizzling harmlessly against the massive psychic barrier surrounding the city.

"Dammit, we can't risk getting closer!" Lance growled. "Tatsuya, use draco meteor!"

"Shit, Gengars, retreat!" Agatha cried, almost panicked. The Gengars turned to see the Dragonite flying towards them at top speed and didn't argue. The Dragonite veered up, an orange sphere forming in his maw.

"What's the point of this, Lance?" Lorelei asked. "You said yourself that there's no point in using ranged attacks."

"It's obvious that Fuchsia's defenses are too strong for us to breach," Lance said. "I just want to test the durability of that barrier with my strongest blast."

With a roar, the Dragonite launched the orange up into the sky. It separated into searing fragments, raining down on the barrier, gaining momentum. Each one smashed against the psychic wall, creating plumes of explosions. The impact was so powerful that each of the Elite Four were forced to stumble back, shielding their faces from clouds of dust.

Tatsuya landed the ground with enough force to crack it, taking long panting breaths. A move like draco meteor was strenuous to use at the best of times, and she had put all that she was into the attack.

The barrier had cracked in places, where the meteors had landed, some even cracked open. Unfortunately, they began to reform almost immediately.

"That does it." Lance remarked, patting Tatsuya's back in gratitude. "This isn't a fight we can win."

"This is a fight Sam could win," Agatha said, disgust dripping in her tone. "If he bothered to be here."

"He has a very good reason not to be here, Agatha," Lance snapped. "And I'm not going to hear a word against him."

"Enough," Bruno said, stepping in between them. He looked to Lance in askance. "If we can't beat them, what do we do?"

Lance managed a wry smile. Leave it to Bruno to bypass all formalities... "We prepare. Even If we can't beat Rocket where they _are,_ that doesn't mean we can't beat them where they're _going_ to be."

* * *

At the sight of Khan Lance's Dragonite finally taking flight, becoming an orange dot on Route 18's horizon, the entirety of Fuchsia seemed to break out into uproarious applause.

Green wasn't sure what she felt.

On one hand, this was an objective victory for Rocket. If the Elite Four weren't capable of breaking into Fuchsia, no one was.

On the other hand, Green was not very happy with Rocket right now.

Charles was doing a pretty good job of voicing her frustrations in loud barks, but Green did her best to keep a neutral expression, agreeing with her subordinate only silently.

"Four more of my best men were captured!" Charles spat. He paced back and forth, trampling the poor grass beneath him. "How is it that every time Rocket wins, we're the ones that have to pay the price?"

"We're the best suited for the job, Chuck. We're still making a difference." Even Green thought she sounded wooden in her weak justifications. Privately, she believed Charles had a strong point. They _had _lost too many men. Ross's entire division of Rockets loyal to her had been gunned down in their attempt to capture Bill Sonezaki. Thanks to the Battle of Lavender Town and this recent fight against the Elite Four, Charles' Heartbreakers had been reduced to about a third of what it once was. On top of this, Giovanni had expressly forbidden Green from finding anyone who might have escaped capture, including Jessie and James.

Green might have accomplished a lot as her short career as a Rocket, but each fight left her resources exhausted, and Giovanni wasn't exactly jumping to resupply her.

"You want my opinion?" Green and Charles both turned to see Ross walking towards them, his arm still bandaged from the wounds he had sustained. "We're the first line of defense _because _we're so competent. By keeping you out of a true position of power, he's keeping you grounded. They're scared of just what you might be capable of."

Green let that sink in. Sure, she was a bit of a badass, but compared to Giovanni, Sabrina, and Koga, the three most powerful gym leaders in Kanto? She had nothing on them in terms of experience and skill.

Still…

"Don't worry, guys. I won't let us get pushed around by Giovanni any longer. In fact, I plan to have a little chat with him regarding the way we've been treated…"

"Well, you can have that chat with them now." A few weeks ago, Green would have screamed at the sudden voice in her ear, but she had spent so much time around Janine that she didn't even flinch now. "Boss wants to see you."

She turned, putting her hands on her hips, a stance she had apparently taken so often Janine affectionately referred to it as 'sass mode'. "You know, normally when friends greet each other, it's with a 'hello', or a 'congratulations for not dying'."

"Right." Janine blushed a little, something she'd been doing a lot around Green lately. "I'm a ninja. Force of habit. Sorry. But hey, at least you don't freak out and throw things at me anymore."

Green flinched. "Oh yeah, how's your cheek doing?"

Janine pointed at a small bandage left of her nose. "Probably gonna leave a scar."

"Shit. Sorry about that. Well, you'll pull off the sexy, rugged warrior look even better now."

"Aww, dude, thanks, that's what I was going for!"

Ross cleared his throat. "Didn't you have a meeting?"

Green nodded, forcing herself back into focus. "Of course, yeah. Lead the way, Janine."

* * *

Ordinarily, a stroll through the winding road through Fuchsia's beautiful gardens would have been bliss, but Rocket's occupation had essentially ruined much of the park. As there wasn't enough housing for everyone, there were now a sea of mossy green tents where once were clean lawns. The Rockets weren't tidy either; much of the green that had escaped being coated in tents were fraught with garbage and cigarette stubs.

"Did you find where they're keeping her?" Green asked Janine in a low whisper, wary of any eavesdropping ninjas. She had suspected Rocket had already taken a certain someone when Oak hadn't showed up with the Elite Four, but she couldn't be sure.

"Yeah," Janine replied, her voice barely audible. "In one of our warehouses. West of here…."

"She's not with the other hostages?"

"According to the boss, unlike Sonezaki and Fuji, her comfort isn't a priority."

They arrived at their destination before Green could reply, which was probably good, as Green was about to let out a loud, furious swear that would no doubt have all the subtlety of an exploding Snorlax.

In the center of the park was Green's favorite gazebo, the one place that Rocket left untouched. Giovanni was leaning on the fencing around it. His back was turned, but Green would recognize his Italian suit and offensive cologne anywhere.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Green asked coldly. Janine stood at attention, stiff as a board in respect for her leader. Green had no such respect, and marched up to him.

Giovanni turned, greeting Green with an eager smile. "Executive Green. I wanted to thank you personally for your efforts today."

"You mean my division's efforts in being glorified meat shields? What the hell was I accomplishing by even trying to fight the Elite Four?"

Giovanni smiled at her the way one might when they were trying to encourage a puppy. "It was important that we gauged the Elite Four's ability. Now we know that we're capable of repelling them from Fuchsia, but out of our league in trying to take them on in a full-on attack. It's thanks to you that we know the gravity of our situation."

"I've seen you fight, sir, against Red and Blue Oak. You were dominating them with one Pokemon. If you teamed up with Koga and Sabrina…"

"That fight would be a waste of resources and far too great a risk. You'll remember that when I ordered your men to hold off the Elite Four, I told you to give orders by my side instead of taking the field yourself—"

"And I said no. Because there was no way I was leaving my men alone out there."

"—And that was your choice." Giovanni's tone became sterner, almost fatherly, and Green turned away so she wouldn't have to meet his gaze. "You're someone special, Green. It was reckless of you to join such a dangerous battle. If you had been captured, it would have been a serious waste."

"And it wasn't a waste for the men we did lose? I don't care how competent I am, I'm sick of you treating the lives of my men like they're lesser. There's a mountain of bodies we're leaving behind us, growing higher by the day, and you're standing on top of it without any remorse or hesitation."

Giovanni was silent so long that Green turned to look at him. She was stunned to see that tears were in his eyes.

"I wish I could be more like you, Green." He wiped at his face with a handkerchief he procured from a pocket on his suit. "Idealistic. Fearless. Fiercely loyal to whatever cause you believe is worth fighting for. That simplicity is why I need you. I just wish the world was as black and white as you claim it to be."

Green narrowed her eyes. "How the hell is treating human beings with equal respect a morally gray concept?"

"Because we're not equal. Because real power in this world comes from remarkable, individual trainers. If we're going to stop Mewtwo, we need that kind of ability you and I have. I wish I could tell you that our lives could all be held to the same standard, but they can't be. Not when it's only a special few capable of such strength."

Green hesitated, mulling over his words. "You have a point."

Giovanni chuckled. "Oh, do I?"

Green rolled her eyes. "In that some are more talented than others. I'm not sure why you'd include me in that number, but either way, I'm sure you agree that we should use that talent to protect the people of Kanto, the people who don't have the ability to protect themselves."

Giovanni nodded. "That's the reason I'm doing this; why we're here at all."

"But so far, all we've been doing is taking and taking. Collateral damage, kidnapping, stealing; we haven't been benefitting Kanto at all, just exploiting it." She could see Giovanni was about to interrupt, but she kept speaking. "And you may be right; the master ball might be the key to stopping Mewtwo.

"But as sure as you are of Rocket's ability to win, even you have to admit that the clone might be too powerful. I'm on your side and I've entertained that notion as well. It's _possible._ I still say we use the master ball, but in the meantime, we need to do some damage control. Tell Kanto about the clone, if Oak won't. Unify the region instead of dividing it. Make it clear what your purpose is, instead of trying to be discreet. We need a safety net instead of your notion that things need to get worse before they get better."

Giovanni paused, giving her a chance to say more. When she didn't, he replied. "You're wise beyond your years, Green. But it's time you _also _accepted the realm of possibility."

He limped up to her, meeting her eyes. "The master ball is our best chance. If we tell the region about the clone, that we'll need the ball, it's a _distinct _possibility that it will be hidden away, protected in an attempt to stop us from confronting the clone."

"Yes, but—"

"Or even worse, what if someone else manages to capture Mewtwo? Someone dangerous?"

"_We're _dangerous!" Green protested. "Why would anyone want the clone in the hands of a criminal organization!"

"Because capturing Mewtwo has been our goal from the beginning! We're entitled to it after what we've been through!" Giovanni snapped. "Arceus sake, Green, I thought you understood something about sacrifice!"

"Oh, don't talk to me about sacrifice." Green jabbed a finger at his chest. She could see Janine cringe out of the corner of her eye, see Giovanni go white, but she didn't care. "All I've done is sacrifice for you. My men, my friends, for fuck's sake, any morals I might've held on to? You don't demand sacrifice of yourself, Giovanni. You just make everyone else do it for you."

Any sense of warmth or amusement melted away from Giovanni's features. He was as good as a statue now.

"I tolerate a lot, Executive." His tone was as icy as his face. "But I don't tolerate disrespect."

Green glared at him. "Maybe you could demonstrate why you deserve respect then,_ sir_."

She had wanted him to fire up further, but the tension eased in his shoulders. Instead of snapping back a counterpoint, he laughed.

"I need counsel like yours, Green," he said. "I made you an executive for a reason."

"Are you deflecting my accusation with a compliment?"

"No, merely stating facts." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I know that the only way that I can repay Rocket, repay all of Kanto, is to win against Mewtwo. I was reckless once, and it cost my closest friend his life. I was lucky enough to survive with my considerable talent, and I can't throw that gift away. _When _I challenge Mewtwo, and I swear to you, I will, it will be with the greatest odds of victory I muster. I just can't make gambles, not with Kanto on the line."

His expression was pleading, as though he were trying to convince himself. "I just need more time. Please give me faith for just a little longer."

There wasn't anything left to say. Giovanni could praise her counsel all he wanted, but it was a moot point if he was not going to budge. "Yes, sir. I apologize for being aggressive. This is just a very frustrating time for my men and I."

He nodded. "That will be all, then. Thank you for your hard work today. Please, get some rest. You earned it."

She turned to leave, but Giovanni seemed to have something else to say.

"Remember the prophecy Sabrina gave. Rocket is the key to Mewtwo's defeat, and only a child of Viridian Forest can challenge it. I have to be the one."

Green felt the impulse to contradict him, but she fought it. She decided the moment that she'd watched him murder Red's Pikachu that Giovanni wasn't a man she could trust.

She marched away, her brain on overdrive. She forgot all about Janine's presence until she spoke.

"What did you think? You didn't really get what you wanted, did you?"

"I think." Green moistened her lips. "I think I want to see Daisy right now. Lead the way, Janine."

* * *

"Why did I agree to this? Why oh why did I think this was a good idea? I'm going to be murdered the second I walk through the city gates. This isn't bravery. Bravery isn't walking into the face of death. That's stupidity. I'm being stupid! I should just turn back now, and—"

Yellow tuned Blaine out. He'd spent the entire trip to Fuchsia City trying to welch out of accompanying her.

Fortunately, it hadn't been too long of a trip. As Looker had predicted, revealing the location of Rocket's hideout had acted as an alarm, and Koga had sent ninjas to Cinnabar Island to capture them. Yellow, of course, had beaten them easily, revealing that they carried Abras with them.

Said Abras couldn't take them all the way to Fuschia City, as their memories had linked to a manor that apparently had been abandoned, no doubt once serving as a base for Rocket. Still, it was the mainland, and from there Looker and Yellow went their separate ways; Looker to Saffron and Yellow to Fuchsia. Given that Blaine had a Rapidash and Yellow had Edward and Alphonse, the trip was cut even shorter.

Though Blaine whined often about his regrets in joining her, Yellow had to admit her opinion of the old scientist had improved a bit. After watching Looker and Yellow make plans, he quietly asked if he could lend his assistance. After all, he'd said, a person of his notoriety would be less suspicious in offering his assistance to Rocket than a random little girl. Although, now he seemed far more concerned that Rocket would execute him for his war crimes rather than desire his help.

He'd cleaned himself up as well. He'd shaved, for one, and now wore the only suit he'd owned, a tacky, bright orange one he claimed was from his old job as a quiz show host. It was an ugly outfit to be sure, but hey, at least it was clean.

In truth, Yellow was grateful even for the old man's ramblings, because it distracted her from the migraines that had been plaguing her since they'd left Cinnabar. Now that Mew was no longer able to take a physical form, her presence was agonizing. It didn't help that the pain got much worse when Yellow practiced using her psychic abilities, something she'd been doing often to prepare for what Mew had warned her would be an epic confrontation against Mewtwo.

Right now, she could just barely avoid blacking out when she performed a particularly impressive feat.

Blaine fell into silent sputters, and Yellow lost her focus on the pile of rocks she was lifting with her mind and let them drop back down on the side of the dirt road. She looked up to see what he was pointing at.

An orange ball of light had been launched into the sky, blotting out the sun for a moment. It exploded into shrieking meteors, raining down to the earth below. Many exploded harmlessly against the barrier protecting the now in sight Fuchsia City, but a few stray blasts had found different paths.

Including one that was headed straight for Yellow and Blaine.

Edward and Alphonse both let out twin squawks of fright, but Yellow's eyes merely turned pink. Ignoring the throbbing pain in her head, Yellow reached out with her hand. The meteor continued to fall, closer and closer, so close that Blaine's Rapidash whinnied, galloping away, so close that the hair on Yellow's arms singed away…

But then, a mere few inches away from impact, the meteor froze, hovering in the air, outlined in pink. Yellow concentrated on the blast with her mind, slowly moving her hand in a circle to redirect the burning ball of energy. Struggling to maintain consciousness, she let out a scream, throwing the meteor aside, into a nearby plateau, which crumpled in the ensuing explosion.

Yellow let out a few heaving gasps, before starting in surprise as a droplet of _something _hit her hand. She looked down.

Blood.

Slowly, she reached up to her nose, finding blood to be dripping freely from there.

"Huh," she mumbled. "That's probably not good."

The excruciating pain in her skull climaxed, and she collapsed.

* * *

Yellow's eyes fluttered open. The pain had dulled to an ache. She was lying on her Doduo's back. Blaine was standing over her, his shadow offering pleasant shade. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw she was conscious.

"Oh, thank Arceus," he said, practically shoving a bottle of water down Yellow's throat. She drank gratefully, and the contents of the bottle vanished in seconds. "For a moment there, you were barely breathing."

Yellow mulled that lovely little statement for a moment. She supposed she wouldn't be much help to anyone if her powers killed her first. "Why do you think that happens? Other psychics don't hurt themselves when they use their powers."

Blaine nodded thoughtfully. "I won't claim to have any concrete answers, but I do have a theory. Before I tell you anything, though, put on your hat or you'll get sunstroke."

Yellow nodded, reluctantly tying up her hair and jamming her sun hat over her head. She wasn't exactly _well endowed,_ and she'd been confused for a boy more than once when it looked as though she'd had shorter hair under that hat. She'd complained loudly about that to Red once, but he'd simply smiled and said that at least she made for a very cute boy.

She slapped herself mentally, forcing herself not to think of Red. It was hard. Once she had him on her mind, it was hard to think about anyone else. How he must be feeling right now, with Rocket dead…

_Enough, _she told herself. _Red is fully capable of solving his own problems. You have your own to worry about._

Blaine cleared his throat. "Er, are you alright? Do you need more water?"

"Huh?" Yellow blushed. "Oh. No, sorry. Just got distracted for a second. Tell me about your theory."

Blaine nodded, stiffening up a bit in self-importance. "Your connection with a mythical Pokemon like Mew is rare, but not unheard of. There have been several times where human and legend have bonded together. Nobunaga the Conqueror even bonded with two legends at once!"

"Okay, but I don't remember the history books ever mention anything about the bond causing the human pain," Yellow argued, not sure of his point.

"No, but such powers come with consequences. Those who have bonded with legends have met mysterious ends," Blaine said. "You've heard of November of Twinleaf, yes?"

"The name sounds familiar, if only because it sounds so silly."

"Well, she was one of the most important figures in Sinnoh's history. What's so odd, however, is that despite her great legacy, there are only songs and accounts of her as an adolescent. There was never even documentation of her death, though there was for most others who lived in her time. It's as though she vanished off the face of the earth before she even reached her twenties. Such is the fate of one who becomes entwined with legendaries.

"Okay, one, that's not a very uplifting thought. Two, I still don't see how that's relevant to me. I doubt November ever had an aneurism every time she tried to use her legend's power."

"Well, my theory there is that your relationship with Mew is...unique, to the say the least. From what I can tell, you do not draw from the power of your legend. It doesn't result from prayer. That power is yours now, as Mew no longer exists beyond a shade, a fragment of her memory that you experience. For all intents and purposes, you _are _Mew."

"I am Mew?" Yellow looked down at her hands. Human hands. "I don't look like Mew. Besides, she still exists. She gives me direction."

It was Mew who responded. Yellow's head gave a lurch of pain.

"I'm an echo, Yellow. A fragment of consciousness that's only here because you house my power. I am dead, but my power can't ever go away. There's too much of it for that. So, what's left of my identity went to you. It won't even be long before my own voice will fade."

The pain passed. Yellow took a few harrowing pants. Blaine was patient enough to wait for her to respond.

"Well, Mew basically just confirmed _that _theory," Yellow said with a weak smile. Blaine gave an awkward sort of chuckle.

"Anyway, as I said, Mew's power is yours. I'm sure you've found that you've never struggled to use her power, that it comes naturally to you."

"That's true."

"It's because that strength is your own. Strength that goes beyond reason. The only issue is, such power is meant for a legendary Pokemon. A being, a Pokemon, built with the capability to handle it. But you're a human. Meaning…"

"It's my frail body that can't withstand Mew's power," Yellow said, realization finally dawning on her. "That's why it's so painful, why my body always seems to break down."

"If you keep using it, you will die, Yellow." Blaine said severely. "You need to find a way to find a balance between what your body can handle and how much power you can wield. Otherwise…"

"But, against Mewtwo, I won't be able to hold back, will I? I'll need to use all of Mew's strength."

Blaine gave her a sad smile. "Well, my dear girl, I think that if you're doomed to die at some point, wouldn't it be best to die fighting the clone?"

* * *

Green still had nightmares about the day that she'd betrayed Blue. The way he was humiliated, the horrified look of betrayal on his face, his scathing words...it still reduced her to tears sometimes, thinking back on it.

Now, staring into the eyes of Daisy, Blue's older sister, Green felt she was reliving that hell all over again.

Daisy Oak was just as unfairly gorgeous as her younger brother. Her dirty blonde hair, the same shade as Blue's, fell down to her shoulders. She had the same sharp, fierce confidence as Blue as well, in her thin eyebrows, in the glare she was giving Green now.

Now her hair was matted, unwashed, probably for more than a few days now. There were bruises on her legs and arms, and there was a welt under her left eye. Somehow, sitting up defiantly in the chair she was tied to, she looked even more terrifying and beautiful than she normally did.

"Hi, Green. Gramps told me you were with Rocket now." The tone of Daisy's voice wasn't like Blue's. There was no pain or betrayal. Just cold, bitter acceptance.

"I didn't know they'd do this!" Green said, horrified. The warehouse they were keeping in was empty, unclean, as though it hadn't been visited in years. She turned to Janine, who wasn't meeting her eyes. "Do the ninjas always do this to the people they kidnap?"

"No!" Janine protested. "The ninja do their best to be as efficient and humane as possible. She...she must have put up a fight!"

Green turned back to Daisy with grudging respect. "You fought back? Against ninjas? Without any Pokemon?"

"Well, what the fuck was I supposed to do, Leif?" Daisy said. "_Let _myself get captured by ninjas?"

"Uh, yeah, usually," Janine said, staring at her in horror. "Have you ever even been in a fight before?"

"Fuck no, I got my ass kicked. But at least I tried."

"This is not acceptable!" Green said. "Sonezaki and Fuji are living in luxury, and Daisy can't even have a bed?"

Daisy rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah, I'm sure they're so grateful. They're being held against their will, but it's okay because they get bubble baths."

"Shut up, Daisy," Janine snapped. "Green, I know it isn't ideal, but there isn't even enough room in Fuschia to house_ Rocket,_ much less hostages!"

"Then have Daisy double up with one of the hostages, or something!" Green said. "There has to be enough room in their suites!"

"Oh, _wonderful _idea!" Daisy said with mock enthusiasm. "Make me sleep in the same bed as a creepy old, dude. It's every girl's dream!"

"Shut up, Daisy," Green snapped. She gave Janine a pleading look. "You have to agree with me that this isn't right."

"I do agree with you," Janine said. "But maybe you should see the bigger picture here. Samuel Oak—"

"—Isn't going to pull anything as long as he thinks his granddaughter is in danger! I'm all for seeing the bigger picture, but right now we're just using it as an excuse to let people get hurt. I'm not saying that I don't believe in what Rocket is trying to do, that we'll need to make sacrifices for the greater good, but right now we're acting as though our ideals give us the excuse to act like horrible human beings. That's not the Rocket I joined, and I'm sure it's not the Rocket you and your father believed had such honorable goals in mind."

Janine was backing up a bit, her lip quivering. "Green, I don't know…I'm not sure what to do."

She took Janine's hands in her own. They were ice cold, so she massaged them, helping bring some warmth into them. She stared into her lavender eyes, let herself get lost in them a moment. "You trust me, right?"

Janine nodded. Green felt her pulse quicken. "I do."

"Even if it means that Giovanni isn't the right leader for Rocket? That we might need to steer it in the right direction?"

At Giovanni's name, Janine's expression stiffened. Became resolute. "Of course. I'm with you, Green. To the end, if it comes to that."

Green nodded. "Okay." She squeezed her hands.

Daisy cleared her throat. "If you two are done flirting, I could really use something to eat. I've had stale rice for three days. I need some meat, man."

Green practically sprang away from Janine, willing herself not to turn red. "Oh um...right."

She crouched down in front of Daisy, so they were eye level. "Listen, I'm sorry this happened. I'm going to do my best to fix it."

Daisy snorted, no doubt assuming she was full of shit, but Green figured it was only fair. "You want to make things better? Bring me food, already. I'm hungry. Then we can talk about Rocket."

"Fair enough. Janine? Willing to steal some food from a restaurant or something? "

Janine grinned, stretching out her arms. "Consider it done. Don't want to put my sweet ninja skills to waste!"

Not long after she had gone, Green's Pokegear rang. She held it up to her ear. "Executive Green Leif speaking."

"The boss requests your consultation regarding a pressing matter. He's waiting at the border of Route 15."

"On my way. Can you give me some context?"

"Well…" the voice hesitated. "It seems we might have new recruits."

* * *

Giovanni and his top officers were waiting for her, milling around Fuchsia's city gates, which were closed.

Koga's sword was in his hand, and he looked like he wanted to gut someone. He greeted Green with a grunt and a nod, which, for Koga, was verbose. She had the sinking feeling he didn't exactly approve of her friendship with his daughter.

Giovanni greeted Green with a lazy wave. He seemed more concerned with speaking to whoever was on the other side.

Executive Petrel, the only other Rocket Executive besides Green herself who was stationed in Fuschia, was the one who greeted her. In truth, she barely knew the man, but she was quite sure Lickitung's tongues were less slimy.

"Executive Green!" He reached out, shaking her hand. His smile was wry, and it didn't meet his eyes, which were glaring through her coldly. "So wonderful that you, ah, _finally_ managed to join us."

"I was busy, Petrel," Green said, not bothering to keep the distaste out of her tone. Though he was her senior, they were equal in rank, and it satisfied Green immensely to know he loathed her for that.

"Busy gallivanting around with your friend Janine?" Petrel said, his tone dripping with disdain.

"Busy risking my life against the Elite Four, actually. When was the last time _you _risked your life, Petrel?"

"Ah, well, you see, Giovanni values me in manners not relating to mere martial prowess." His nose scrunched up at the thought.

"And what does exactly Giovanni value you for?" Green asked, putting a hand on her hip.

He did not answer, instead turning back to Giovanni and Koga. "Now that we're all present, shall we discuss matters relating to our new arrivals?"

Giovanni nodded. "Green, come take a look. I think you'll find this interesting."

Growing curious, Green pushed past Giovanni and Koga, staring at two people she never would have expected would want to enter Fuchsia City.

Blaine Scorcher, the gym leader of Cinnabar Island, the creator of Mewtwo, was staring at her through his tinted glasses. He was trembling, clearly terrified.

This was the man responsible for the death count of the Indigo War, the reason Green would probably never laugh with her old friends from Pallet ever again. The reason she'd lost so many men, the reason she saw the light leave Red's Pikachu's eyes...heard his anguished scream…

Green had never felt the impulse to kill before, but now her hand seemed to be reaching for the pocket that held her revolver. She wanted to blow the old man's face away, somehow go back in time and prevent everything that had led to her standing there right where she was now.

Reason won out, eventually. She forced her rage into a mask of calm.

Of course, that mask was shattered into a kaleidoscope of emotions when she saw the girl that was with Blaine.

Yellow was looking Green dead in the eye, her expression pleading. Green wanted to snap at her, call her an idiot for walking right up to the one person who recognized her. She was about to betray her, scathing words on the tip of her tongue…

But then Yellow's eyes flashed pink. It was less than a moment, but it turned the whole world on its side.

Blaine actually fell to his hands and knees, his hands clasped together. "Giovanni, I beseech you. Let me offer any assistance I can in helping you take down the clone. I've been hiding from my atrocities for far too long."

Giovanni limped past Green, looking down at the old man with a thin smile. "Well, isn't this ironic. The man who thought he could play god, praying to those he thought his lesser. Life truly can be poetic sometimes, can't it?"

Koga was looking down at Blaine with such animosity Green felt a small twinge of fear for the cowering scientist. "If you want my suggestion…"

Giovanni laughed. "Koga, old friend, I already know what you're going to say."

"Then let's just slit his throat and be done with it!" Koga growled, his hand trembling on the hilt of his sword. "This is the man responsible for our people's slaughter. He forfeited the right to live when the clone demolished Bark Town, killed women, children…"

Petrel coughed, finally seeming to deem it time to join in on the conversation. "Yes, I understand your_ fervor_, Master Koga, but while I'm sure killing him would be cathartic, I'd say it would be remiss to throw practicality out the window."

Koga merely grunted, allowing Petrel to continue his point.

"I say we learn just what we can benefit from Blaine. If he's an asset, he should be welcome. If he's a liability…" He gave Koga a mirthless smile. "Well, he's all yours."

"I-I can be an asset!" Blaine said, jumping on the opportunity to speak on his own behalf. "The clone has weaknesses to exploit! I brought notes, on the fighting style he was designed with, on the abilities he possesses—I promise, you won't regret letting me join you!"

Giovanni nodded. He pointed his cane at Yellow. "And your friend? Is she of use, or merely an extra body? Fuschia is full to bursting as it is."

"Ah, yes!" Blaine seemed to have forgotten all about her. "This is my assistant. Er…"

"Renesmee!" Yellow piped up.

"Renes-what?" Blaine managed to compose himself. "Ah! Yes! Renesmee! I'm not as sharp as I'm used to, so she's been a big help in keeping me in check, organizing my work. She's also an excellent trainer, as I'm sure you'll see for yourself."

"Giovanni," Koga said. "You can't possibly-"

"Peace, Koga," Giovanni said. "You and I both know that, in order to save Kanto, sacrifices must be made."

Koga flushed. "Of course. I just…"

"I despise this man," Green saw his careful mask slip, saw the look of loathing in his eye, and realized that Giovanni probably hated him far more than even Koga and herself did. "For what he caused, for what he's forced me to do. But if his help even brings us a single step closer to defeating Mewtwo…

"I'll call him a brother-in-arms if I must."

Koga bowed his head. "Of course. Forgive my lack of composure in this matter."

"But one of us has been strangely silent!" Giovanni chuckled, looking over to Green. "What does our resident voice of reason think?"

Green chewed the inside of her lip. She looked back at Yellow, who was meeting her with soft, amber eyes. Green knew who she was. She could easily point them out as spies, putting an end to this discussion. Yellow must have known that. And yet here she was, looking at her eyes without fear.

Maybe, even after all she'd done to oppose her friends, Yellow still trusted her. Warmth filled Green, warmth she hadn't felt in a long time.

Finally, she spoke. "I'm with you on this matter, sir. We should take advantage of any asset we can. Let's let them in with open arms."

Giovanni grinned at her. "Very well. Open the gates!"

And just like that, Green was a traitor.

* * *

Two weeks later, Green called a meeting.

She picked a small, quiet bar dubbed the 'Cherry Blossom', mostly because it reminded her of that cafe where she had gotten Blue captured. It was not very well lit, but it was fairly clean, so Green thought it would suffice well enough.

The bar had a small stage, as Johtian dancers would often provide entertainment for the customers. She was standing on it now, looking over the sea of arrivals sitting in their seats. Janine was standing next to her. When she chanced a glance, Janine smiled, gave her an encouraging thumbs up. Nerves steeled a bit, Green looked back to the crowd.

The showing was impressive, a much bigger haul than Green would have expected. All of the Heartbreakers were here, Charles at their head, laughing and talking loudly. A good few Rockets were there as well, a surprising number of them that hadn't even been under her jurisdiction. She found Ross, leaning against a wall, giving her a wink. He must have talked her up, spread the word of her exploits and plans.

Of the ninjas, only Janine had come to support her, but there was one psychic who apparently wasn't as loyal to Sabrina as the others. He was sitting by himself, nursing his drink, and he was definitely the oddest of the group in appearance. He sported purple hair and a mask that covered his eyes. Unlike the usual, beaten down uniforms that most of them wore, he was wearing a fancy purple suit, as though he were ready for a ball instead of a night at the bar with a bunch of hardened criminals.

Yellow and Blaine were there too, sitting together. Blaine wouldn't meet anyone's eyes, but Yellow flashed Green a tentative smile.

"Hey, guys, can I get your attention, please?" Green said, her voice carrying pretty well. The crowd fell silent. "I take it that, if you're here, it's because you're disillusioned with what Rocket is right now. Maybe you're jaded, sick of the fact that you're expected to risk your lives over and over while the bigwigs live nice and safe in the fortress, talking about sacrifices they'll never have to make."

There was a sharp applause at the Heartbreakers' table. They thumped their glasses, letting out grunts of approval. Charles actually whistled. Green chuckled.

"Maybe all the crimes we commit are beginning to feel less and less proportional to the good we plan on doing."

More applause. The psychic in the fancy suit was nodding to himself.

"I'm here to tell you that I agree, but also that I don't regret joining Rocket. I believe in our intentions, even that our organization is necessary to save Kanto. And I'm truly grateful to Giovanni for providing a means for us to make a difference." Green paused. "But that doesn't mean I support the decisions he's making now. In fact, it doesn't mean I'm willing to follow his lead any longer."

More applause, though this time a bit less sure.

"What I want to do is repurpose Rocket. I want to take advantage of the resources we have and use it to unite Kanto. I want to raise awareness of Mewtwo's existence and lead our entire nation against the clone. When we get the Master Ball, I don't want to pry it out of Scott Silph's cold, dead hands. I want to receive it as a gift. I've been told my line of thinking is too idealistic, and maybe it is. But I know for a fact that wherever we're going now, it's not going to be anywhere good. Whether we defeat Mewtwo or not."

"So, what is it we do then?" A Rocket asked. "Overthrow our bosses?"

Green nodded. "The ones we can't reason with. Giovanni. Petrel." She looked to Janine in askance. "Koga?"

Janine nodded. "My father won't be taken by our cause either. He and most of the ninjas...they're loyal to Giovanni, not Rocket. He believes Giovanni is the only one in Rocket, the only Kantonian, worthy to lead."

Green gave Janine an apologetic look, but she simply shrugged, as though she had accepted it already.

"That does leave us with Sabrina. She's a good woman. I think she could be reasoned with, if we can convince her."

The psychic spoke next, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I'd respectfully disagree, actually. In case you've forgotten, Sabrina can look into the future. She's certain that Giovanni is the one destined to defeat the clone."

"She thinks that she's cracked the code, but she hasn't. In her exact words, it's _Rocket _that's the key to defeating the clone," Green explained. "And that the only one capable of _fighting _the clone on equal terms is one of Viridian Forest. Sabrina put two and two together. Giovanni's the boss of Rocket, and he grew up in Viridian City."

"Exactly. It would have to be Giovanni, right?" the masked psychic's eyebrow rose. "Betraying Giovanni would therefore be counterproductive. It couldn't possibly fit anyone else."

"Actually, the person Sabrina's future vision refers to is in this very room. Get up on stage, Yellow."

The ensuing silence was deafening as the crowd tried to digest what they were being told.

"Wait, who the hell is Yellow?" a Rocket piped up. A few of his neighbors nodded in agreement, equally confused.

Green moaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Ugh. Fine. _Renesmee_, get up here."

"Oh, the blonde girl," the Rocket said.

Yellow jumped to her feet, giggling, as the crowd finally seemed to understand who Green was talking about. She climbed up on to the stage, giving the crowd an awkward little wave.

"Okay, her name isn't actually Renesmee. It's Yellow," Green snapped. "So, we're calling her Yellow. Not Renesmee. Savvy?"

"But I like Renesmee better!" A Rocket piped up.

"Shut the fuck up, Daniel!" Gree snarled.

"Okay, sorry…."

Green took a deep breath, regaining her composure. "I grew up with Yellow, after Professor Oak found her living by herself in Viridian Forest. Oak always kept her away from the outside world, and now it's obvious why. She is the one destined to fight against Mewtwo."

"Hey, uh, Green?" Ross said. "You know I love you to death, but you really can't just kidnap children and then try and use them to fulfill prophecies. You expect us to believe that this tiny, teenage boy is powerful enough to fight Mewtwo?"

"I'm a girl!" Yellow protested. "Green even used female pronouns to describe me, you big jerk!"

"Oh. Uh. Sorry for assuming."

Green cleared her throat. "Yellow isn't just a tiny teenage bo-er, girl. She has Mew's power. And it's pretty incredible."

The crowd stared at her. Some laughed, assuming this was a joke. The masked psychic looked genuinely curious, leaning forward in his seat to get a better look at Yellow.

"Um. Green?" Yellow murmured out of the corner of her mouth. "I didn't know we were telling people about that yet."

"Well, they had to know some time," Green whispered, before speaking out to the crowd again. "I'm sure that's a hard pill to swallow, so Yellow, why don't you give us a demonstration of your power?"

Yellow pouted. "Yeah, fine, but speaking of pills to swallow, you better have some aspirin or something because this is gonna give me a migraine."

"Don't worry, honey, Janine raided the drugstore this morning. Now go blow up shit with your mind, okay?"

Yellow sighed, outstretching her hand. "Fine, fine. Sheesh, the things I do for love."

Immediately, the table the masked psychic was sitting at shot up, smacking his chin in the process. He shouted in pain, clutching his bruise, but he seemed to forget about it quickly, eager to watch Yellow work. The table floated high above everyone's heads. It wasn't just Yellow's eyes that were glowing pink; her entire body was ablaze in a magenta aura. She closed her fingers into a fist, and the table exploded. Wood Chips rained down on the heads of the crowd, and the masked psychic actually had to dodge a falling leg chair.

"I trust that proof will suffice?" Green said. Yellow stumbled, dropping the pink aura, and Green moved forward to catch her.

It seemed to have the intended effect; everyone was staring at the pile of splinters of the floor, edging away as though it would combust into flames. The masked psychic's expression was impossible to discern, but when he spoke again, there was a twinge of excitement in his tone.

"Her raw strength is incredible. Is it really possible that Mew's power is hers?"

"Mew's been talking to me," Yellow said. Green started; she had assumed Yellow was unconscious. "Since as long as I remember. Guiding me. And my power's only gotten stronger and stronger. If Janine stabbed you with her kunai, I could heal you in moments. If I concentrated, I could vanish and reappear halfway across the region. The only problem is...well, Blaine thinks that my body isn't strong enough to maintain Mew's power. Chances are if I fight Mewtwo...I'll die."

The masked man nodded, seemingly not too bothered by this information. "But you can train. Not to brag, but I'm a fairly accomplished psychic myself. I can teach you how to maintain your ability, find costs that your body would be willing to pay. If we have someone with the power of a legend on our side, and she was raised in Viridian Forest…"

"Then _we're _the ones the prophecy refers to!" Green couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice. "Not Giovanni and the Rocket he's using to exploit Kanto, _this _Rocket. You and I, shining a new ray of light on the region. Led by Mew's champion herself!"

The crowd let out a roar of applause in approval, but Green was still staring intently at the masked psychic. "Will Sabrina side with us, knowing that we're the true answer to the prophecy?"

"The problem is, it doesn't matter what side Sabrina's on, because she's in no condition to do much of anything besides keeping Fuschia protected by the barrier," the masked psychic explained. "She's entered into a telepathic coma."

"A telepathic coma?"

"It was how Saffron stood undefeated during the Indigo War. If you go into a telepathic coma, your body shuts down all its unnecessary functions so that every spare bit of energy is concentrated on a particular psychic feat, in this case keeping a barrier around an entire city. Sabrina's...ah...needs...are attended to, but as long as she's in that coma, she won't be able to form conscious thought, much less speak to or comprehend what you tell her."

That was disappointing, Green thought, chewing the inside of her lip. She had really been hoping she could count on Sabrina. Still though, her words had inspired the crowd. Not a man or woman wasn't in high spirits, and they began to chant her name.

"I trust that you're all with me, in helping me tear down Giovanni?"

Another roar of approval. Green grinned.

"Thing is though," Charles was saying. Despite the rowdy shouts of glee, his deep voice carried across the room. "We live in a city of ninjas. How the hell do we know if we can even trust anyone here? What if someone blabs to Koga or Giovanni?"

That destroyed morale quickly. The cheers turned to worried whispers. Green's grin, however, hadn't slipped away.

"I was hoping someone would ask that. Why don't you explain this next part, Janine?"

She nodded, walking forward with a tray of poke-balls. "Hi, everyone! I nabbed these Abras. I'd feel bad about stealing, but in truth they used to be yours. Giovanni thought they would be more useful in ninjas' hands, so only the top dogs got to keep theirs.

"That's why we didn't have them in the battles of Lavender and Cerulean," Ross drawled, an ugly look on his face. "It's why my entire division died."

"Yet another reason we axe Giovanni," Green agreed. "But these Abras, they're our ticket to making sure everyone remains loyal. You all remember that each Abra only has one home destination it can teleport to, right? Well, Janine and I have been jury rigging these ones."

"If an Abra, in all of its telepathic awareness hears any talk of our little coup with someone in the city who doesn't have an Abra, it acts as a trigger." Janine smirked. "The traitor will be teleported right to Green."

Green gave a frosty little smile of her own. "Trust me, you don't want to see what I do to traitors."

There was a quiet shiver among every single Rocket staring at her mirthless eyes.

"So, each of you, take one, and keep them hidden," Green said. "I have these Abras trained to teleport to me if you try to move in public without them, so don't bother with that silly old loophole. Are we all clear?"

There was a general chorus of agreement; everyone seemed satisfied by the system Green had in place. In truth, she wasn't worried about the possibility of a traitor. What reason could any of these people have for supporting Giovanni, who had treated them like mere bodies to hide behind? In fact, they were beginning to chant her name again.

"Don't just attribute this movement to me, ladies and gentlemen!" Green cried. "It's only through the work of all of us that we'll succeed, and Kanto will be free from the clone! Rocket will be reborn, not as a corrupt business obsessed with its own wealth, but as a team! Cheer for yourselves as well as me!"

"_Team Rocket! Team Rocket! Team Rocket!"_

Green began to chant with them, watching her revolution beginning to sprout. _Team_ Rocket. She liked the sound of that.

* * *

Janine had a reputation as an early riser. She was up training at the crack of dawn, usually even before her father, who had grown a little less disciplined in his older age. Not that he would let anyone besides her notice. Janine was usually asleep long before midnight, a fact that Green often bemoaned, being herself a night owl.

Tonight, she used that reputation to her advantage. It was late; even Green was asleep now, and Janine stood alone outside a small pond not far from her father's mansion. She was staring at the poke-ball in her hand, containing the Abra assigned to her.

Janine's hands shook slightly, hoping her little gamble would work. It had been long and hard work, making sure the Abras understood her commands in a way that would allow her to bend the rules a bit. Her breath catching, she took the plunge, sending the call out from her pokegear.

"Hello?" came the voice. It was raspy, a little weak, maybe, from exhaustion.

"Executive Proton," Janine said, adopting the voice of a businesswoman. "Still alive I take it?"

"Yeah, I'm hiding out in Mt. Moon. Living off rocks, practically. The Cerulean authorities will not let up, let me tell you. I take it you're not willing to come spring me back to Fuschia?"

"Afraid that would be suicide, Proton, sorry." Janine gave a sympathetic laugh. "That being said, we need you to find your way back here pronto. There's a situation."

"Oh, wonderful!" Proton snapped. "What, you want me to pick up groceries while I'm gone too?"

"Har har. I'm actually doing you a favor. You know the trainer card that was stolen from you?"

"You mean the card that tells me I'm legally allowed to train Pokemon? How the hell would I forget about that?"

"Well, I'm looking at that card right now." Indeed, Janine was turning it over in her hands, examining Proton's face.

There was a long silence. "What?"

"A girl named Yellow had it. I stole it from her," Janine explained. "And trust me, that's the _least _interesting thing about her."

"Is that so? Where is this girl now? I want to punish her for what she did."

"She's a spy actually. Friend of one of our Executives. We have a bucket load of traitors here in Fuschia, and you're my ticket in rooting them out."

Janine flinched. Moment of truth, did the loophole work?

The Abra didn't teleport. Janine let out a relieved sigh. She was safe.

"The hell do you mean I'm the ticket?"

"That doesn't matter, Proton. I can't risk elaborating. Get here as fast as possible."

"Fine," Proton snapped back, and his voice cut out.

Janine slumped, looking at her reflection in the mirror. The euphoria she had felt realizing her loophole had worked was already beginning to evaporate. She knew from the moment Green told her she was going to work against Giovanni that she had to stop her. It was her duty, and she hadn't hesitated even a moment when she learned just how deep Green's treason went.

But, this was Green.

This was the most gorgeous girl she'd ever met. Her crush, her hero. She was fearless, had fought for Rocket without question, had braved the massive birds that terrified her because she knew what had to be done.

Janine loved her. So much it hurt. In a perfect world, she'd grab Green by the hand and run, away from Kanto, away from the clone, away from the horrible truth of her situation.

But that wasn't how she was raised. And Green would die before she'd ever even consider running…

Janine bit down hard on her lip, trying to force herself not to cry. _A Ninja can cry behind closed doors, when the duty is done. Before that point, tears just mar the vision, the clear path in front of us._

That was what Koga told her, since she was little, and she had never known a man so true to his beliefs.

She would kill Green personally, as honor demanded. And then she'd bawl her eyes out.

* * *

This marks the official ending of Book 1, which I now dub: _Chrysanthemum. _It's been a long few years, and I'm so grateful to everyone who's been sticking with me up to this point.

There will be a little break before Book 2 officially starts. I plan on reading all of the story up to this point, doing a little editing, fixing up inconsistencies, etc. This story is now much different from how it was when it began, and there might need to be some tweaks I have to add to make the story flow a bit better. Plus, I'm sure I've somehow missed like a ton of typos, because I always manage to.

Once this process is finished, Book 2 will begin. The story cannot end while Red's Nuzlocke is not finished after all, and he still has Groot! Despite the darker tone the story has had recently, I want to say now that I plan to keep the story consistent with what we've had so far; emotional and action packed, but also with my annoying brand of comedy. I do not plan on ever making this story betray itself, even if we may have some tragedies yet ahead.

May we meet again, soon, readers, and see just how all our heroes' journeys are concluded.

Oh! One more thing! To celebrate this milestone, I'm going to put up a poll on my profile! Which of our four dearest Pallet children is your favorite? I'm really curious to see. Please vote, and leave a review if you can! I literally thrive on feedback, haha!


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